And Justice For All
by ucat42
Summary: The boys investigate the brutal murders,Dean is arrested under suspicion of being the murderer.Can Sam get him out before the police discover who the brothers really are, and before Dean dies in custody? Extreme hurt!Dean S5.12 Dedicated to BranchSuper..
1. Chapter 1

**A/N...welcome to my new story. This story is dedicated to BRANCHSUPER, my wonderful reviewer, as a token of appreciation. She was there from the start and gave me one of my first reviews...I am forever grateful. She also chose the theme for this story, so I hope I can honor her in the writings ahead. First chapter not so long, the following ones wil flesh it out a bit more.**

**This one is set in season 5, roughly after Swap Meet, mainly so I could pop in around a monster of the week kinda story and not have to lean on the main story ark to heavily. Please feel free to leave any feedback as a review!**

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><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

"Aw, this is gonna be too easy" Dean smiled at the young man in front of him. The man smiled back, his eyes black, his mouth a grimace more than a

smile. His pretty companion, a girl of no more than eighteen, long blonde curls and cheerleader outfit, with black, shiny demon eyes.

She growled and ran towards Sam, as Dean did the same thing to the male. He went in hard, fists pounding, and the demon gave as well as he got. Sam

grabbed he girl around the waist and threw her into the wall, but she came back fighting, a roundhouse punch knocking Sam to one knee. He pulled the

Ruby blade from the back of his pants and held it before him. This didn't seem to deter her, she just gave him an evil grin and lunged towards him.

Another kick and the knife went flying, Dean grabbed it and turned to the male he was tussling with.

The female demon threw Sam into the stairwell, and he couldn't stop himself falling to the next landing. He knocked his head hard, and felt consciousness

start to leave him. He blinked hard, trying to keep a grip on the moment, but was too dizzy to lift his head. He let his head drop to one side, a trickle of

blood from a cut lip leaking out onto the step. He breathed trying to still the spinning of the dank stairwell around him.

"Sam!" Called Dean, but he got no answer. The demon he was fighting grabbed him around the neck, pulling him to the ground. He twisted and plunged

Ruby's knife into its eye. The demon bucked and twisted, the crackling and glow signaling the death of the unholy creature inhabiting the body of the

young man.

The other demon that had been fighting Sam turned, her black eyes shining in the half light of the abandoned factory building, her hair twisted into a high

pony tail, her cheerleader outfit stained in blood. "You are going to regret that, hunter" she snarled, and advanced on him. Dean scrambled backward,

pulling the knife from the dead demon as he moved.

The female ran towards him and he threw the knife, his aim deadly accurate as it plunged deep into her chest, a perfect heart shot. She fell back into the

stairwell holding Sam, and died there on the stairs.

"FREEZE" a male voice called out. "Police! Put your hands in the air. _Do not move_" Several uniformed men ran into the room, guns drawn, all aimed at the

hunter lying prone on the dirty floor.

"Which one do you want? Don't move, or hands in the air?" Dean snarked. The closest cop, carrying a rifle, turned it and hit Dean full on in the face with

the butt. Dean was knocked out cold.

Sam heard what was going on and with a stifled groan rolled onto all fours. He crawled as quietly as he could up the concrete stairs and peered over the

demon into the room he had fallen from.

Sam saw a cop bent over his brother, slapping him to try and bring him back to consciousness. Dean coughed and groaned, and tried to get up. The cop

pushed him back down. "Not so fast, you sick mother fucker"

"What?" Dean groaned, a little disoriented from the blow to the head. Sam pulled the knife from the demon's chest and slowly backed down the stairs.

There was no way he could fight back against at least eight cops, so his best defense was to make a clean escape.

He made it to the foyer, a dirty, rubbish filled room, and he gently pushed the door open a little to peek out. Cops everywhere. He turned, what to do,

what to do? He needed to get out, he couldn't help Dean if he got arrested as well. There was a small window in the stairwell. Very small. He removed

the screws very quickly with the demon knife and pulled the grill off the window, then pulled himself through, tearing his shirt in the tight squeeze.

He was free.

He zipped his jacket up to hide the torn shirt, and checked his head to make sure there was no blood anywhere that he could feel.

Hands in pockets, shoulders hunched, he walked around the front of the building to find a crowd gathering, pushing up at the barriers being hastily

thrown up by the uniforms. He stood with the others, trying to slouch a little, to blend in rather than stand out for his height.

After about an hour the cops led his brother out. Dean had been beaten, one eye blackened and closed, blood staining his face from his nose, and his lips

were split and swollen. Dean was favoring one leg and had his right arm tucked tight into his side, he either had broken or cracked ribs, from experience

Sam knew that posture very well.

The battered hunter looked around at the crowd as he was being frog marched out of the building, and Sam stood to his full height. No onlooker would

recognize any signal that passed between these two, but it was there. Dean knew his little brother was safe, and that Sam would get him out. That

certainty was there for all to see, but none to notice.

"Ah, what happened here?" he asked one of the young officers fixing a wobbly barrier. The young man looked at him, his acne marked face shining up at

Sam, making the hunter feel old. God, this guy can't be out of his teens, he thought.

"Some sick douche lured two college kids here and sliced them up. Murdered them in cold blood. Caught him red handed"

"How'd you catch him?"

The cop smiled. "Responsible citizen phoned through an anonymous tip."

Sam nodded. "Thanks, man"

He walked back to the car. This was some tangled shit they had gotten into. He was gonna have to play it smart to get Dean outta this one.

X

X

X

X

**Three Days Earlier**

"Pass the ketchup, dude" Dean spoke around a mouthful of burger while Sam picked at his salad, laptop open on the greasy diner table. He has made

sure to open several napkins under it to protect it, and was busy scanning the day's local news.

"Says here another young girl was butchered off the main highway. That makes three"

Dean shrugged. "I dunno, man, is it demons or just some sicko? Coz I'm not seein' a whole lotta omens here"

Sam tapped a few keys. "Starting to get omens, Dean. Electric storms and a couple of reports of cattle mutilations. And besides" he spun the computer

around to show his brother "we might have to interview some of the latest victim's friends. They were dancers"

Dean said nothing, he just kept eating.

"Dean?"

"Yeah, sounds like a job" he bit deep into his burger "Eat up. You're wasting time"

Sam smiled. He knew the dancer spin would reel in his brother no trouble. "Enough of the self satisfieds, okay?" Dean picked up his soda. "The omens

were enough to get me in"

"And the pretty young dancers on this page had nothing to do with it?"

"Nope. Nothing at all" Dean waited a beat, then let his most lecherous smile adorn his face. "Nothin' like a bonus!"

Sam shook his head, laughing quietly. "Well, I'm done. Soon as you're finished we can head out"

X

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X

X

Night fell like a switch had been flicked, the white lines on the highway shining bright in the Impala's headlights. Sam shifted uncomfortably in the

passenger seat, his legs were cramped and he needed to go to the bathroom. Dean picked up on his discomfort straight away.

"How long till we're there" he asked his tall brother.

Sam held his cell phone up, sat nav app glowing bright. "Ten at the most. Next exit"

"Good. I'm starved. It's been a million years since lunch."

X

Dean pulled into the parking lot of a tiny no tell motel and threw the keys at his brother. "Grab the bags and I'll grab the room".

Sam unfolded himself from the car and stretched, raising his arms high and cracking his neck both sides. He unlocked the trunk, pulled out both duffels

and a weapons bag. Knowing his brother, he would clean the guns while Sam researched. The routine was ingrained in them after many years.

He sat them on the hood after Dean didn't come back after ten minutes. After fifteen, nearly jiggling from leg to leg with is desire to relieve himself he

thought he'd better check on his brother.

The motel office was a dingy little glass portal that looked like it had been added to the building as an afterthought, and Sam could see his brother

leaning over the front desk, chatting to the pretty young clerk. Sam rapped on the door, when Dean turned he gave him a pissy look.

He could hear Dean's voice as he made a comment to the clerk, but not what he was saying. The clerk laughed, twirling her hair around her finger, flirting

so hard it must've hurt.

Sam grabbed the keys from his brother as soon as the door was open, and read his room number while he strode off as fast as he could without running.

"Where's the fire?" Dean called out behind him. He didn't know how, but Sam was sure Dean knew he was bursting and had made him wait just to

torture him. As he fumbled with the keys to get the door open his suspicions where confirmed when he heard Dean chuckle.

"Asshole" he called out and rushed in to find the bathroom, slamming the door in his brother's face out of spite. He heard Dean laugh even harder and

knew it would probably take all night before Dean stopped teasing him.

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><p><strong>AN...hope I got you hooked, a little bit, at least...please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N...Sorry about the delay...lots to do...**

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><p>The pretty young girl stood at the top of the stairs that led to the dance studio. Carin's Dance Emporium was on the second floor over Eddie's Hardware, the front wall mainly windows looking out along Pepper Street. The girl tapped her foot impatiently. She was a bit early for class, and so far she was the only one here. There was a small mirror on the wall of the landing and she fixed her hair in front of it, smeared a bit more lip gloss on and watched her eyes turn black.<p>

The screak of the door downstairs announced company, and the girl's eyes once again shone a pretty cornflower blue. Giggles drifted up to her, and she leaned over the balustrade to see who was on their way up. Good. Senior dancers. She had no use for young children.

The two girls giggling their way up the stairs finally made the top landing. "Oh, you're here" one said, and the other giggled.

"Yes" she replied. "I'm here. Heather, do you think I can talk to you alone? It's really important"

The second girl, a petite brunette with too long bangs and an upturned nose screwed up her face. "Why would she want to talk to the skank who made out with her boyfriend, Cindy?"

The girl smiled back at her. "Because, Rachel, I have something important to talk to Heather about. Very important. And it's about her boyfriend."

Heather, another pretty blonde, smiled at Rachel. "It's okay, you go in. I'll talk to Cindy. I want to know what she's got to say for herself" She folded her arms over her chest. "Not that I will believe anything that comes out of your skank mouth. Sluts are not known for telling the truth"

Cindy just smiled back at her, a very calm look on her face. Rachel flipped her hair and stormed off into dance class.

"So, just what do you have to say to me?"

Cindy leaned forward. "Actually, it's something I want to show you, Heather. Turn around"

Heather huffed and rolled her eyes. "What the hell" and turned around.

She didn't scream when she saw the black smoke, mainly because it confused her, rather than frightened her. Then, when the smoke rushed at her, it was too late to scream.

Rachel got up from the floor where she'd been stretching and went out to find Heather and Cindy. Class was about to start and Miss Carin was a bitch if anyone walked in late. She looked out onto the landing, then down the stairs. Both girls were gone.

She grabbed her cell from her ballet bag and rang Heather's number. After one ring the call was rejected. "Fine" she muttered. If she wanted to make up with her ex best friend, and dump Rachel, well, then… "Fine" she growled. She did not want to get pushed back to number two friend again.

She walked back into class where Miss Carin was lining up the girls. "Where's Cindy and Heather?" she asked Rachel.

"I don't know. Playing hooky, I think" she said, her smile almost evil.

X

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X

X

Sam stepped out of the shower and reached for a towel…except there were none there. Damn it…why was Dean in this sort of mood?

"Dean!" he yelled. No answer.

"Dean?"

"What?"

"There's no towels here. Did you use all the towels?"

The bathroom door opened a crack and a towel cam e flying at him. "Room service left them on your bed" Dean called after the towel. Sam dried, and dressed, leaving his shirt open for now.

Dean sat at the tiny motel table eating and he looked up as his brother finally got out of the bathroom. "I swear you spend more time in there than a chic" Dean groused around a mouthful of breakfast burrito, and tapped another bag on the table. "I made you breakfast"

"Brewed the coffee yourself?"

"And put it in the cardboard cup with the plastic lid"

Sam sat and opened his computer, but Dean threw the paper on top of it. "They found another girl late last night. Same M.O."

"Mmm" Sam opened his greasy take away back and started his burrito while he read. "Another Dancer"

"I'm thinking we check out the body, then head over to the dance studio. First class starts at ten."

Sam frowned at him. "Okay, how do you know that?"

Dean waggled his brows.

"No, seriously, how do you know when the dancers start?"

Dean picked up his coffee. "Google"

X

The morgue was in the lower floor and sub basement of the court house. Dean flashed his badge, Sam barely had his out when a rotund man who couldn't be over five feet grabbed his hand and started pumping it. "I'm Dr Thelspa, but call me Doc. So glad you boys came, terrible thing, these killings, just terrible"

He turned and grabbed Dean's hand. "Gosh you boys are tall. FBI breeding them that way now?" he laughed at his own joke, his red nose and shiny apple cheeks almost glowing. "Well, down to business. We'll be downstairs Helen" he called to the receptionist, and marched off down the corridor.

Dean gave Sam a bewildered look as Doc turned back, waving his arm to beckon them to follow him. "Come on, boys, days a wasting!"

X

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X

x

Cindy and Heather walked hand in hand into the drugstore. It was one of those quaint, old fashioned ones with a soda fountain and a long wooden counter with tall stools bolted in front of it in regular spaces. The girls were giggling and tossing their hair, playing it up for the boys that were lounging against the counter, sipping their sodas and catching up before school started. They were on a half day, school wouldn't commence until after lunch.

One of the boys, a very popular young fellow, judged by the shallow school peers for his good looks as much as his sporting prowess looked the girls up and down, and turned away. Cindy noticed and leaned over to whisper in Heather's ear. They both smiled and walked up to the uninterested fellow.

"So, Aaron, have we done something to upset you?" crooned Heather.

Aaron turned to them. He frowned and shook his head. "I thought you two weren't interested in a jock"

Cindy giggled, and Heather reached out and rand a finger down his chest. "Oh, baby, we're very interested." She stepped forward and leaned into him, her lips brushing his ear "We're very interested. Both of us. Together"

Aaron's face colored, his eyebrows raised. "Together?"

Cindy ran her hand through his curly black hair. "Oh, baby, you have no idea how interested we are"

Aaron grabbed he arm. "You're not just teasing, are you? Coz I've heard what the other kids say.."

Heather placed her finger on his lips, stopping his protest. "We don't tease. And we don't care what the other kids have to say. We just want to have fun, and we want to have fun now. If you're not interested, well, there's a lot of boys here who might feel differently"

Aaron stood up from his stool. "Girls, I could not be more interested. Lead the way, and I'm sure you'll agree on just how much I am interested in having fun. Together"

Both girls giggled, and took his hands and led him out of the drug store. They walked like this, one on each side holding his hands, his face holding a grin so big it nearly split in two.

X

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X

X

Doc had shown Sam and Dean the bodies, his face, for the first time, was grim. "These poor young girls were all from good families, not the type to hang out in the wrong places, or get into cars with people they don't know." He took off his little round spectacles and wiped them on a handkerchief. "There are no defense wounds, not on any of them, and they were all but cut in half."

"Any organs taken?" asked Sam.

"Heart and kidney only." Doc led them over to his desk, a cluttered mess filled with paper and reports, clipboards and dirty coffee cups. He handed a file to Dean. "We only released the heart bit to the media, but I gotta tell you, cops got no idea. I got no idea. What's your angle?"

Sam looked at Dean, and back at the height challenged Doc. "Demons"

Doc laughed, holding his ample belly. "Yeah, that'll do it." He tapped the file he'd given Dean. "You can keep that. It's a copy"

"Well, thanks Doc. That's mighty nice of yah" Dean smiled back at him.

The Doc's cell rang and he answered it, his cheery face darkening as he spoke. He closed the flip phone and looked up at the 'FBI' agents. "Saddle up, boys, there's been another one"

X

The leafy park was filed with flowers, dogs and young families. The children screamed and laughed, the dogs catching balls, the young mums calling out for straying toddlers.

In the midst of all this was a taped off area, police milling about, cordoning off, interviewing witnesses. Dean pulled up the Impala at the curb closest to the crime scene and turned to his brother. "You wanna do the body or the research?"

Sam grinned at him. "Pick you up in an hour?"

"Unless I call you first" He opened the car door, a familiar screech accompanying the move. Sam slid across the bench seat and waved at his brother as he drove off to the local library.

Dean sauntered over to the crime scene, and found Doc's diminutive presence amongst the uniforms. "Ah, my friend, the tall FBI guy!" Doc exclaimed. The two cops that had been standing beside the coroner looked at Dean. One held his hand out "Crowney, and this is Hobson"

Dean shook their hands. "Agent Young. Pleasure"

He gestured towards the body, now covered in a blue tarp. "Same M.O.?"

Crowney nodded, his expression strained. "Yeah, exact. Like they're all staged to be matching. Bodies all positioned to look like they're sleeping, clothes on inside out. Weird"

Dean bent and lifted up the side of the tarp. The girl couldn't have been more than nineteen, her red hair was twisted into a soft bun, her arm under her head, she was on her side, and if it weren't for the fact that her eyes were open and he inside out t-shirt was stained with blood, she could be sleeping.

He let the tarp fall back and looked around. There was yellow powder on the ground, and he touched his finger to it. One sniff confirmed his suspicions.

Doc leaned in. "Sulfur was found at all the crime scenes. Don't know the significance yet"

Dean stood and wiped his finger on a handkerchief. He couldn't see anything else that may be of any clue to him. Except…what was that, over there?

He walked over to a small shiny object on the ground. He touched it with his shoe, and it flipped over. A cell phone. The cop Hobson walked over. "Good pick up. My guys have been all over the park and didn't see that"

Dean looked at him. "It caught the light. It's got one of those diamond covers on it"

Hobson picked it up in his latex gloved hands. "Diamantes'" he corrected. "All the girls are covering their phones in it." He stood up and saw the look on Dean's face.

"Dude, I got a sixteen year old sister. "

Dean laughed, then his expression sobered. "You must be worried about her"

"You got no idea. Cindy, my sister, she's the most amazing little dancer, cheerleader, very popular. Just like these girls turning up dead. I have grounded her before and after school, only dance class, practice and home"

Dean nodded. "Just you two?"

Hobson's face darkened. "My parents died three years ago. Left me, Cindy and my sister Janine, she's twenty. We kinda raise Cindy like we're her parents, not her siblings." They walked back to the body. "My parents had hefty life insurance policies, thank god. Don't know what we woulda done without them"

Crowney slapped his partner on the back. "Chewing off the FBI's ear? Bro likes to talk"

Dean grinned. "Got a lot to say" he indicated the phone. "Who'd she talk to last?"

Hobson flicked the phone open, and scrolled through the last calls. His brow furrowed. He went to text, and scrolled through the messages. His frown deepened.

"Well?" asked Crowney. Hobson looked at him with confusion on his face.

"All her last calls and messages were to Cindy"

"Your Cindy?" Crowney looked shocked.

"Yeah, dude. My Cindy. The last messages were from Cindy, asking to meet her here. She sent 'I'm here, where are you?' bout an hour before coroner placed T.O.D."

He looked from Crowney to Dean, then pulled out his own cell and hit speed dial. After a few tense seconds of hearing it ring she answered. "Cindy? Where are you?" he walked off as he spoke to her, and Dean turned to the other policeman.

"What's his sister like?"

Crowney shrugged. "She's your typical teenager, you know?" he scratched hi s head. "Pretty, popular. Bit of a flirt. She grew up all of a sudden when their parents died. But she's no trouble. Knows her place. Knows that she's lucky to have a big brother and sister to take care of her, and does what she's told"

Hobson came back and ran his hand down his face. "Cindy says she spoke to this girl, Maisie, and told her she couldn't meet her, she was going to school. She's there now"

"That's a relief" Crowney gave him a reassuring smile.

"Well, guys, that is good news." Dean smiled at them.

Hobson shook his head. "Not really, agent Young. You see, it's ten forty five, and school is on a half day. Doesn't start till twelve forty five"

Dean raised his brows. "So, were do you think your sister is?"

The young policeman shook his head. "I don't know. Lord, I wish I did. Maybe I should do a drive past the school and see if I can find her."

Crowney nodded. "Yeah, do that. I'll come with. You okay, agent?"

Dean scratched his head. "Yeah, I'll hang with doc till my partner collects me. Keep me posted, ok?" he handed the cops a card, and shook their hands. "I'm sure she's fine, man"

Hobson gave a half hearted smile. "Well, either way I'm kicking her butt"

Dean gave them a wave and walked back to Doc, who was supervising the loading of the dead girl into the coroner's van. He pulled out his phone to call Sam but the familiar rumble of the Impala beat him to dialing. He waved to Doc and headed to the car.

Sam stayed in the driver's seat so Dean took up shotgun. He filled his brother in on the Cindy situation and the sulfur.

"So, it's defiantly a demon, then"

"At least one. I'm thinking it's maybe Cindy."

"Sucks, man. And her brother being a cop, that's gonna make this whole deal so much more complicated."

Dean nodded. "What say we head to the dance school and check them out?"

"Yeah, sure"

"So what you find out?"

"Well, kidney and heart makes it a bit confusing, and the clothes inside out is another weird one. The library here is pretty pathetic, and the computers were down. I called Bobby, he'll do a bit more research."

Dean nodded. Sam pulled the car over at the hardware store. Dean frowned at him. "It's on the first floor" Sam explained. "And don't forget, Dean, the girls are under age. "

Dean grinned brightly. "Teachers aint"

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><p><strong>AN...I'll try to be quicker on the next chapter. Please review...any words will be appreciated...**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N...having a bit of trouble with my laptop talking to the internet, though I'd post this before I lose it...**

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><p>Miss Carin sipped her earl grey tea from a Wedgwood cup. She nodded her head in time to the music, watching her junior teacher taking the senior class through their drill. In the mirrors that lined the back walls she could see two suited gentlemen standing there watching her girls as they leapt across the room.<p>

She peeked under her eyelashes at them. They were_ really_ hot. She was so glad that she'd put make up on this morning, and wore her skimpiest leotard. She was a pretty woman and she knew it. Her hair was natural white blonde, her figure taught and shapely, and her breasts were quite large for a dancer, though below average for anyone else. She pretended she hadn't noticed the men at first so she could observe them a little better.

One was very, very tall. He had longish dark hair, and he was super cute. The other one, while not as tall, was even more handsome, though he seemed to be leering at the young girls dancing across the classroom.

She stole a quick glance at herself in the mirror. All good. She made a show of catching sight of the men, and stood. Her student teacher looked over to see if she should do anything, and Miss Carin shook her head. "Continue on, girls. I'll be watching"

The men back from the wall of glass that enclosed the studio and faced her, both smiling and flashing their FBI badges. "Agent Young, my partner, agent Angus"

Carin dazzled out her best smile. "I guess you guys are here about the murders"

The taller one gave her a sympathetic look. God, she could die in those arms right now, if he asked. He was _hot_. "Yes, ma'am. They were all students of yours?"

Carin's smile turned sad. "At one time or another, yes. I do have the only dance school in town, so I guess that's not that much of a coincidence. Oh, by the way, it's Carin, not ma'am. I think we're about the same age."

Agent Angus, the tall one, nodded, his eyes shining so sympathetically. "That must be hard on you"

Carin gave a little sniff "Yes, yes it has been." She gestured to the small office behind them. "Would you like to sit, I can make you a coffee while we talk?"

Agent Young smiled at her. "That would be great, thanks"

She led them into her little office, it was set against the side of the studio with a one way window, allowing her to watch the class without them seeing her. She made sure she swayed her hips suggestively as she walked, and she knew with complete certainly that both men were watching her ass. She had a great ass.

She made the coffee while the men shuffled around the tiny office, trying to get their big man bodies onto the tiny chairs in a very tiny space. She felt her cheeks color as she stifled a laugh. She would have to appear to be at least a little sad, with these girls that she knew lying dead in the morgue.

"Would you gentlemen like sugar and cream?"

They both shook their heads and accepted the hot cups from her.

"Um, the girls? The ones that were killed, not all of them danced here recently?" Agent Angus asked her.

"No. They were all in the cheer squad, so I taught them at the high school. I coach the cheerleaders as well, you see. "

"Were they all still cheerleaders?" Agent Young asked her.

Carin smiled at him, and let her eyelids flutter. "No. The thing is, this is not a very big town. We only have one high school, so all the girls went to the same school. They were all pretty, so they would have either been cheerleaders, or at least tried out. Being teenage girls is the big link. Everything else, well, it's really all coincidence. They all shopped at the same stores, probably all had the same doctor, dentist, you name it. I don't think my school is the link"

The agents exchanged a glance that she couldn't decipher. "Well, Carin, there is another girls we wanted to talk to, and I think she's a current student of yours. Is Cindy Hobson here?"

Carin frowned. "Is she in trouble?"

"No, no, we just wanted to talk to her. She just happened to see one of the girls not long before she died. We wanted to see if she might have noticed anything"

Caring sat on the edge of her desk, her knees touching Agent Angus's. She smiled inwardly when he didn't pull away. "Cindy decided to skip class this morning, and took another student with her. Heather Maygood"

"Did you see them at all?" asked Angus. He gave her an encouraging smile, and pressed his knee a little harder on hers.

"No, one of my other students saw them leave. They didn't say where they were going"

Carin felt the knee push hers a little harder. "I guess they thought they had better things to do" her voice was starting to get a little husky.

Agent Young cleared his throat, breaking the mood. "Well, thank you ma'am, you've been very helpful"

He moved to get up, and had to go out of the door before there was enough room for the other agent to move off his chair. Carin took that opportunity to give Agent Angus her card. He looked at it, and smiled before tucking it into his breast pocket. "Call me if you need anything, Agent Angus"

He leaned forward a little. "Sam"

"Call me, Sam. Anytime"

He gave her a bright smile and nodded before heading out into the hall with his partner. The other agent looked annoyed. She smiled at him and offered her had to shake. "Anything else, just yell, okay?" she told him, and sauntered back into her dance class. She was sure they watched her the whole way.

X

"God, Sam, could you throw yourself at that fluff any harder?" Dean stormed around to the driver's side of the car. "We got a job to do, you know"

Sam smirked at him. "You're just pissy coz she flirted with me'

"Whatever, dude. Get in the car"

Sam laughed and joined his brother, both slamming their doors in unison, like a well rehearsed move. They drove for a little while in silence, before Sam looked around. "Where are we going?"

"We got two suspects now. Heather and Cindy. Either that, or Heather is gonna be the next victim. I saw a drugstore on the way here, heap of teenagers hanging out. Seems as good a place as any to start"

Sam reached around and pulled his duffle from the back seat and retrieved his flask of holy water. He unzipped the side pocket and pulled out the demon killing knife. Dean glanced at him.

"Seriously? Your gonna gank a coupla kids?"

Sam looked back at him grimly. "Last resort, but yeah, if I have to."

Dean just turned back to the road. They'd have to try everything else first. He couldn't imagine how bad it would be for Hobson if Cindy went missing. He'd try to make sure that didn't happen.

X

x

"Yeah, dude they were here. They took off with a jock. Aaron West. Dunno where they went" the pimply boy gave them a smile and pushed his glassed back up his nose. "They were, like, all hand in hand, you know, threesome style"

"Seriously?" Dean asked. The boy nodded and winked at the hunter.

Dean gave him an incredulous smile back, and beckoned for Sam.

"Okay, let's beat it" he told his brother, and Sam gave a tilt of his head to show agreement.

The drugstore had one of those old fashioned bells that tingles as they opened the door to leave, sending a jaunty tone into the early afternoon that the boys did not share.

"So, I got that they left with a jock for a possible threesome"

"Me too" they walked towards the car. "Thing is, kids that age don't do threesomes"

Sam stopped. "You serious? I mean, It's been a while since I was at high school, but I heard the stories.."

Dean turned back to him. "Believe me, they were only stories. Scoring at high school is hard enough for the average Joe student, but a threesome? Myth"

"Speaking from personal experience?"

"Actually, yeah" Dean gave him a grin. "You know I had no trouble scoring at high school..hell, _ever_…but I can tell you, girls of that age _do not do_ threesomes. Not unless they're in a porno"

"So, seems both Heather and Cindy are possessed, and Aaron is the next on the menu?"

Dean looked grim. "I'd say one of them is on the menu. Nothin' to stop the demon jumping from a girl to a boy, and killing the girl it just jacked"

Sam nodded. "We need to find them. Now" he pulled out his cell "Wonder if Hobson had any luck"

Dean shook his head. "I don't wanna give him any clues. Ask him, sure, but don't mention Aaron at this stage"

Sam spoke briefly before hanging up. "He already knows about the boy, but hasn't found Cindy yet. He's waiting at the school, class starts in 15"

Dean thought for a minute. "I'm thinking they're not gonna turn up at school. We gotta figure out where they'll be. Else we'll be looking at another dead kid"

They started to walk back to the car again. "If we could figure out why they're butchering those kids" Dean paused and leaned on the roof of the Impala, facing his brother on the other side of the car "We might be able to figure out where they are. Let's get back to the motel and I'll call Bobby while you hit the web"

Sam nodded. "Sounds like a plan"

X

X

X

X

Cindy held Aaron's hand as Heather picked the lock on the factory. Aaron smiled at Cindy, then realized just what Heather was doing. "How'd you know how to do that?" he asked, more than a little impressed.

Cindy put her free arm around Aarons neck and drew him close to her. "Baby, you'll be surprised at just what we know"

Aaron giggled like a little girl. "Man, this is so cool!"

Heather finally got the door open. She turned and looked at Cindy, who nodded. "Aaron, we've got something to show you"

Aaron was bouncing up onto the balls of his feet in excitement. "Oh, I am so ready to see it!"

Heather threw back her head and Aaron gasped as black smoke billowed out of her mouth. He stood there, slack jawed as the smoke gathered into a cloud above him, then Heather dropped to the ground in an unconscious heap. Before he could react again, the smoke shot straight towards him, into his gaping mouth.

A second passed, then he blinked his eyes, the brown disappearing to solid back. Cindy smiled. Asron smiled back, and without a word they both bent down and scooped Heather up, one on each arm, and dragged her into the abandoned factory.

X

X

X

X

"Okay Bobby, keep us tabbed" Dean hung up and bent to the small mini fridge, retreiveng a couple of beers. He opened one and handed the other to Sam. "Bobby's got nothing yet. He's still looking, though"

Sam opened his bottle and leaned back on his chair. "He's not the only one. I dunno man, this one's got me beat"

Dean sat on the edge of his bed. "Times a ticking for the next kid. Whatayah want to do?"

Sam shrugged and ran his hand through his hair. "There's got to be something we're missing. Some bit of info, some clue, that's gonna make all the difference, and we're just not seeing it"

Dean looked at his boots. Both men sat for a while, trying to think of something that would give them a break in this job. "What if we're seeing too much? Sam finally asked.

"Okay, like what?"

"Look. What if we're searching for more than we need? I mean, what if the girls hearts were being used, and the kidneys removed to throw us off? Or vice versa?"

Dean frowned. "Long shot, but I anit got anything better at this stage." He took a long slug from his beer while Sam tapped a staccato beat on the keyboard of his computer.

"Huh" Sam turned the laptop around for his brother to see, and Dean got up to have a look.

"Indian burial ground? You serious?"

Sam nodded. "Says they sold their souls to an evil spirit of the Earth to banish the white man, each warrior would sacrifice internal organs of their enemies to the evil spirit in exchange for invulnerablility"

"Sounds promising. What else?"

Sam turned the computer back. "Nothing else. That's all it says. We'd have to go to the museum to find out more." He scrolled to the next page. "It's a good three hour drive, at least"

Dean drained his beer. "In that time Cindy could be our next victim"

Sam nodded. "And if we don't get anything better to go on, she won't be our last"

"Well, then, we better get a move on"

Sam closed his computer and stood, starching his arms above his head. "You want me to drive?"

Dean made a huffy noise and grabbed his jacket. "Do I look dead?"

x

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><p><strong>AN..next chapter soon...provided I can get this connection figured out. Reviews, as always, are the blood of life...**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N...Sorry for the time this chapter took to publish...**

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><p>The Indigenous Peoples Self Funded Non Profit Museum of Natural History had a bigger name than display, but there was plenty of little artifacts and pictures to substantiate the myths and legends carefully displayed all over the walls. Sam was reading everything they had and taking notes, while Dean kept touching things and picking items up, much to the chagrin of the bespectacled volunteer following him around and clucking disapprovingly.<p>

Dean seemed to be enjoying annoying her, every now and then Sam stole a glance at him and noted the mischievous sparkle in his brother's eyes.

Sam closed his notebook and gave Dean a little nod. "Well, thank you ma'am, you have been delightful" Dean gave the elderly lady a glowing smile and a cheeky wink, and she actually blushed. Sam picked up a handful of information pamphlets and joined his brother as they walked to the car.

"Learn much?" Dean asked.

"Um, yeah. Pretty dance teachers like to flirt with me, old ladies with glasses and hair nets.." Dean upslapped him on the back of the head and unlocked the car.

"Much more of that and you can walk home" He reached over and unlocked the passenger door. "So spill, what's the deal with the evils?"

Dean started the car as Sam opened his notebook, he turned and hooked his arm over the seat as he backed out, looking out of the rear window.

"The native Americans were two distinct tribes at first, but they were having a lot of trouble with other tribes that had been pushed off their land by the invading white folk, and then the white folks themselves" He flipped his pages. "All that is incidental. Basically, they were getting raped, murdered, driven off their land, the whole ball and dice, till one day a young girl appeared to them. She had white hair and eyes black as coal, and she promised that she would make them into the most powerful warriors, so strong no one could over run them, as long as they paid her price."

"And that was?"

"You'll like this. The hearts of the virgins for power, and the kidneys for sustenance."

"So, why is she back now?"

"That's the thing. The local tribes accepted the offer, but refused to pay up once their enemies were banished."

Dean let a little whistle escape through his teeth. "Backing out of a demon deal. They had to know there'd be consequences"

"Yeah" Sam agreed "I think they did. There wasn't a whole lotta info on that bit, but they thought they'd protect their girls with this" He held up one of the pamphlets, a page folded down to show an amulet with a strange sigil on it. Dean glanced at it. "Looks Enochian. How did native Americans stumble on an Enochian symbol?"

"Again, not a lot of info, but there may have been a visit from a rival demon…or an angel. Story goes back and forth like a Chinese whisper."

"So, tribe sells their virgins to a demon, and then a rival demon steps in and helps them from paying up. Nice and twisted."

"That's not the half of it" Sam flicked through his notebook. "First demon turns up all pissed coz she can't collect on the deal, and that her rival stepped in where they were not welcome. She killed every soul not protected by the amulet. Overnight nearly every member of both tribes died. The only ones that survived were the virgins, and only those with the protection amulet"

Dean indicated to pass a slow pickup. "So, what happened to the girls?"

"They removed their amulets to be with their families. They didn't want to live if they had to live alone"

Dean returned to his lane. "So any real historical evidence?"

"Um, yeah, only they put it down to an epidemic. Oh, and not all of the girls removed their amulet. There was at least one who decided she wanted to live, regardless"

"What happened to her?"

Sam closed his notepad. "No one knows" He stretched his legs as far as he could under the dash. "But I'm thinking if we can find her, we might find out why the demon is back, and why it's collecting now"

"You're thinking the towns girls are descendants?"

Sam shrugged. "I guess that'd make sense, but not all of these girls are related. The second girl was new in town, she was English, only been here eight months, so I'm not thinking related. I dunno, maybe a politician, farmer, business man, someone, may have made the same deal. Geez, cheerleaders are being targeted, maybe it's something to do with the football teams from the high school, or the next town's school"

"Sounds valid, but how do we save Cindy? We gotta be on the last digits of the countdown"

Sam shook his head. Dean looked at him, then turned back to the road, his face grim, his lips pursed.

X

X

X

X

It was getting late when they finally pulled into town and Dean turned into the motel. As soon as the car was off he pulled out his cell and checked in with Hobson, who was frantic with worry over his missing sister, although he did confirm there were no more bodies.

Sam opened his door but did not get out of the car straight away. "There's nothing we can do tonight, what say we get something to eat and call it a night?"

Dean stared straight ahead. "Dude's lost his parents, he raised his sister….man, this sucks. We can't even save a virgin, Sammy"

Sam offered him a supportive smile. "C'mon inside, I'll hit the net, see if I can find out what demon it is. You ring Bobby and give him the intel we got, see if, between the three of us we can't come up with something by morning"

Dean turned to his brother, and even though he was frustrated he could see his brother was trying to give him some hope, so he gave him a smile back. "Well, that's a plan I can work with"

X

Bobby wrote down everything Dean told him and promised he'd call back as soon as he had something. It gave Dean a small measure of reassurance to know Bobby was working on it, and wouldn't rest till he had some answers for the Winchesters.

Sam had his laptop open and was busy hitting the keys, which left Dean nothing to do except pace back and forth. After about half an hour of this Sam looked up. "Ah, Dean, be a bit easier to concentrate if you weren't wearing a hole in the carpet. Why don't you go get us something to eat?"

Dean looked back at him with an expression of anger and frustration, but he bit it down. "Sure, okay, sorry." He ran his hand over his mouth. "Whatcha feel like?"

Sam opened his mouth to answer, but his computer alert tone cut him off. "Huh"

"Huh, what? Huh good, or bad?"

Sam didn't look up. "Just, huh. Come and look" He turned his computer for Dean to see.

"Huh"

Sam tapped the screen. "See, I told you"

"So, Miss Carin is a direct descendant of our Indian virgin. She don't look Indian"

"Native American, and it's so many generations back it really doesn't carry any genetic traits. Except, of course, that she's the only descendant still in this town."

"So you think she's the demon?"

Sam leaned back on the little chair, balancing on two legs. "We'll have to check that out. If she is, that makes at least two, we got Cindy slash Heather, they're either or both, and Aaron."

Dan pulled out the other chair and turned it around, and he straddled it, facing his brother. "We could have four demons. Maybe more"

"Maybe. We should find out where Miss Carin lives and pay her a visit."

"Finally, some action. Let's grab our ballet shoes and head off"

"Gimme a sec. I'll just look up her address….here, she lives in the next town"

"Where we just came from?"

Sam furrowed his brow. "Yeah. But she may still be teaching. Let's swing passed the dance school first"

Dean stood and grabbed his duffel. "So, holy water, knife, exorcism rituals…am I missing anything?"

"Colt?"

Dean nodded and held it up. "Let's roll"

X

The dance studio windows were lit and there was faint music spilling across Pepper Street. "We're gonna have to be careful if there's a class of students up there" Sam was peering up through the windows. "Maybe I should go up first, check it out"

Dan was leaning back against the car. "Sounds like a good plan."

"Really?" You'd let me go up there alone?" Sam's brow was furrowed tight with surprise.

"Makes sense" Dean answered. "She was flirting with you. Maybe you can catch her off guard"

X

Miss Carin looked up as the tall FBI agent leaned on the glass of her studio wall, his smile was a little shy. He was dressed in casual clothes, so she figured he was off duty. She gave him a very promising smile and turned her attention back to her class. Eighteen overweight untalented mothers slapped around in their tap shoes, their sense of rhythm about as correct as their dress sense. The FBI guy looked at the mother's class and Carin could see him try to contain his amusement. She raised a brow, then gave a little nod to show she understood, and completely agreed.

Sam looked at his feet. He was pretending to be amused, and he had to slip into this persona a little better or she would see right through him. He looked back up, still smiling, and made a coffee charade while he pointed to her office. She nodded, then touched her wrist where a watch would be and held up five fingers. He nodded and made his way into the little office, making sure he turned back and gave her another shy smile.

Carin raced the mothers dance group through their final paces and thanked them, grateful that this was her last class and that it was the mothers group. They always hurried out, back to families, husbands, half cooked dinners, so within ten minutes the studio was empty and she was fixing her lip gloss in the mirrored wall, knowing Agent Angus…Sam…could see here every move.

She finally sauntered into her tiny office, where Sam was standing. He handed her a cup of coffee, and she smiled at him, then sipped it. She smiled again, and looked up at the tall man. "I'm so pleased you came back" she purred and Sam moved back and leaned against the door jamb, his hands in his pockets.

"I think you figured out I find you very attractive"

Sam smiled but did not answer.

She sipped her coffee again then sat it on her desk, then leaned back on the edge of the desk and gave Sam a winning smile, and let her eyes turn black. Sam didn't react.

"I had you two picked as hunters the minute you walked into my studio" She tilted her head a little, and frowned. "You don't seem surprised your holy water coffee didn't affect me"

Sam shrugged. "Seen bigger fish than you. Holy water doesn't affect the high level demons"

She smiled back at him. "So, what do you want to know, hunter boy?"

Sam quirked an eyebrow. "Why now? Why are you back killing the girls?"

"Because I can. Because they're mine. Bought and paid for"

"Who bought them? Who sold off the souls of these girls, tribes people from hundreds of years ago?"

Carin shook her head. "No, as much as it pains me to admit, they paid their debt in blood long ago. No, this is a whole new deal, and I'm having so much fun!"

Sam looked at her from under his lashes. "Who made the deal?"

She shook her head. "You are impatient, my pretty one! Well, let me tell you, patience is a virtue. Let's get better acquainted, first, then I'll tell you everything." She walked towards him, but then stopped as if an invisible wall stood between them.

Sam looked at the ceiling, and Carin followed his gaze. A very intricate devil's trap adorned the ceiling.

"You stupid fuck. All I have to do is scream and cops will be streaming in here"

"How'll you explain the reason you can't leave this room?" Asked Dean as he slid around the doorway. "They might find that a little strange"

Carin snarled at him. "Let me out, or you will regret this, more than you can possibly imagine"

"Blah blah blah" Dean pulled a chair to the doorway and sat. "Where's Cindy Hobson?"

She screwed her face up. "Who?"

"Don't piss me off, skank. Where's the girls your demon pals are wearing? I want them back, and I want them in one piece"

Carin sat back against the desk. "Kinky. Hunter boy likes jail bait."

Sam took the demon killing knife from his jacket and started to clean his fingernails. "Really? You're gonna piss off my brother when you're trapped here, and we have all sorts of toys to play with"

Dean took the colt from the back of his pants and sat it on his lap.

Sam looked at the colt, and then back at the dance teacher. "You won't like my brother when he gets pissed off"

Carin looked at the hunters, trying to assess the threat. She looked at the knife and the colt, and her face split into a wide grin. She closed her eyes and tipped her head to the ceiling. Dean looked up at Sam, and Sam shook his head. Not a second later the ceiling cracked, breaking the devil's trap, and Carin winked out.

Both hunters jumped forward but there was nothing they could do. She was gone.

"Good cop bad cop routine didn't work" Dean grumbled, and turned around and planted his fist through the wall.

Sam raised his brow. "You done?"

Dean looked at him, pulling his hand from the wall and wiping it on his jeans. "Dramatic gesture, dude"

Sam walked out of the office. "No so dramatic when the drywall is quarter inch thick"

Dean shook his head. "Smartass" he mumbled, and moved off to join his brother.

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><p><strong>AN...We come to the evening of day two...please review, I do so crave the attention! I have been asked why the fanfic writers crave reviews, and I can sum it up like this for you...imagine cooking for a couple of days to make a feast, your best work served up, and people come in without you noticiing and the food is all gone. Did they like it? Did they enjoy what you made? Did they just have a bite and go, coz it wan't to their taste? Or did they leave a note that said, maybe, thankyou. I liked the chicken...**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N...sorry this chapter took so long...things are kinda mental at the moment...**

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><p><strong>Present Day...Morning... <strong>

Dean hung up and put his cell on the table. "No word from Hobson or Crowney. Phones are off"

Sam dried his hair, he'd had the second shower and Dean had actually left him some hot water, for a change. He was dressed only in his

jeans and a T shirt, no shoes or socks yet. His phone let out a yell and Dean picked it up, and after looking at the caller id answered it. "Bobby, tell me you got something, man" He nodded, though of course Bobby would not see that. "Yeah, sorry, I was on the phone, trying to find out what's happening with the local law"

His face creased with concern. "Bobby says turn on the news" he told Sam, and moved over to watch the ancient set with his brother. The new cast showed a report of another girl found murdered.

They didn't say her name.

"Hang on" Dean told Bobby "Talk to Sam, I gotta ring the young cop again"

Dean handed the cell to his brother and grabbed his own phone, leaving the motel room so he could hear without having to yell over Sam's conversation.

Hobson finally answered. "Sorry man, we were kinda tied up"

"Yeah, my office called. They didn't give me much, though. Just tell me it's not Cindy"

A very relieved sounding exhale. "Not Cindy, the other girl, Heather. Everything else is the same. Everything"

"Where'd they find her?"

A bit of background noise, and Hobson called something out that Dean couldn't pick up. "Behind the industrial estate, small park, lake, nice setting….until now"

"Okay, my partner and I are looking into background but we're not coming up with a lot. I'll call you if I find anything out, you do the same"

"Will do" answered the policeman, and the line went dead. Dean turned to find Sam standing at the door of the motel room.

"Bobby had some info, he's emailing me now. Was it Cindy?"

"Thank God, no" Dean answered and followed him back into the motel room. "What he have to say?"

"This demon, it's on a pretty high pay grade" Sam answered and shut the door. "If he's right, it's been around for centuries, but basically it's a cross road demon, just on a higher level. You know, kind a like, if a cross road demon was local councilor, then this guy would be a senator"

"Like a Crowley"

"Yeah. Sort of. Different, though. Higher up, for a start. This one keeps collecting till it's banished. Bobby's working on that bit. _We_ gotta figure out who called it and why."

Dean rolled his eyes. "Well, thank you, captain obvious! Any hints on how to do that?"

"There's a ritual for banishing that Bobby's emailing, and he thinks he's got a locator spell that'll work, he'll send it through as soon as he finds it"

Dean gave a little laugh that sent Sam's eyebrows up in confusion. "He needs to locate the locate spell" Dean explained, and Sam shook his head.

"Anyways, why don't I go grab some breakfast while you wait on that email?" Dean grabbed his keys. "I'll get the papers as well. Need anything else?"

Sam shook his head, and hunted around for his shoes and some clean socks, so Dean checked his wallet for any cash and left.

The computer let out its email alert tone and Sam jumped back over to the table, and started to go through the information Bobby had emailed him.

After a while his stomach gave a growl, and he grabbed his watch from the table behind his computer. He's been so busy with the rituals and researching how to perform them correctly he had let time slip away. Where was Dean? He'd been gone for an hour and a half!

He grabbed his cell and hit the speed dial for his brother. The phone rang, then went to voice mail. He tried again.

Same thing.

"Dean, you been gone a while, I'm getting' kinda worried. Call me"

He rang Bobby. "So, boy, find anything new?" the older hunter's gruff voice crackled through the hand set.

"Actually, Bobby, Dean went out for some food and's been gone too long. Has he checked in with you?"

Sam could hear the squeak of the wheel chair tires on Bobby's floorboards through the phone. "Nope. Not a word. You know the demon's on to you, right? And you split up?"

Sam grunted. "Not helping, Bobby"

"No, I s'pose that's not. Maybe try and find him?"

"Yeah, great, thanks Bobby"

"Just keep me tabbed." And the phone line went dead.

Sam tried Dean again, but still no answer. He grabbed a button down and slipped his arms in, his eyes darting around the room to take stock of the weapons he'd need.

Pulling his jacket on he nearly made it to the door when his cell phone let out a shrill call.

X

X

X

X

Dean stood at the counter of the greasy small town diner, it's menu, staff, chairs, all a replica of every diner in ever half assed small town they'd ever driven through. Same aromas, same sheen of grease coating almost everything, same plastic flowers in five and dime store vases on every table.

Instead of being repulsed but this, Dean found it oddly comforting. It was normal. Same old same old.

With all the crap they'd been going through lately, it was one little piece of normal they could reach out and grab a slimy, greasy hand full of.

"What'll it be, sugar?" The young waitress asked him, her cheeks flushed, eyelids batting.

Dean gave her his winning smile and leaned on the formica counter top. "What's good?"

She grinned at him, full flirt mode kicking in. "Do you mean to eat?" She swirled a finger through a twist of shiny brunette hair. "Or were you looking to order _off_ the menu?"

Dean laughed. "Any other day, you'd have me at hello" The waitress was eating it up. "But I gotta tight morning, today. Maybe just some breakfast"

She tipped her smile downwards. "Well, then, maybe I'll slip my number to you, and you can call me when you're not so….tight"

Dean grinned back and gave her a wink. He ordered and paid, tipping her more than he should. He figured at least she'd give them a great breakfast.

He grabbed the local paper and leaned against the counter awaiting his order. A couple of kids walked in and shimmied into a booth, giggling and behaving like normal teenagers.

Dean moved a little so he could pick up on their conversation without being too obvious.

"Oh. My. God, yes, I saw her!" a pretty red head squealed. "She was so in total skank mode!"

The other girl, a blonde with tight curls and a cheerleader top over her cut off jeans grabbed the red head's hands. "I know, right? I mean, like, Cindy was always a bit of a ho, but now? Right?"

"Right!"

"But, like, I mean, why?" the third girl in the group, a plainer looking little thing with mousy hair and clear rimmed glasses chimed in. "She totally got it on with Chad right in front of me! Seriously!"

"Seriously?" the other two girls squealed back in unison.

"Seriously!" the mousy girl confirmed. "I saw her, not ten minutes ago, sucking his face like she was gonna take ten layers of skin off when I walked past the drug store. She was right there, in the lane next to it, going like a gang bang hooker and everyone could see her that walked there! Everyone!"

The other two squealed again and the waitress tapped Dean on the shoulder. "Here you go, hun. And here's my number" she handed him a napkin with a cell phone number scrawled on it. "When you're not tight"

Dean put it in his top pocket. "I'll be sure to do that" he smiled, and gave her another wink. He grabbed the bags of breakfast food and left the diner, pulling his cell out of his jacket and dialing Sam. Just as he went to press 'call' a slim hand grabbed his phone, and he spun to see Miss Carin.

"Well, well, well, what have we got here? A hungry hungry hunter?" She popped the cell into her pocket and grabbed Dean by the throat, lifting him off the ground, his feet scuffing the asphalt, he dropped the breakfast bag and grabbed her hand, trying to wrestle her fingers off his windpipe.

She laughed and cocked her head to one side. "I work out, remember?"

He dropped his hands, and reached around to his back for the gun at his waistband. Colored spots were starting to flash in his eyes, and his blood roared in his ears. He touched the hilt, and fumbled, consciousness fading, his lungs screaming, and his eyes started to roll back in his head.

"Gosh, lady, are you a superman?" a young voice rang out and Dean felt the hand let go, sending him crashing backwards into his car. A small boy was looking at them in wonder, having witnessed the tiny dance teacher hoist the burly hunter over her head.

The child's parents were soon behind him and Dean considered attacking the demon, but just as quickly realized that a big man attacking a small woman might not be viewed in a friendly light. Instead he stood at the car, holding his throat and gasping fresh air into his desperate lungs.

Carin turned back to him and her eyes flashed ebony.

"Later, hunter boy" She moved off quickly, as soon as she was out of eyesight of the family she disappeared.

Dean grabbed the food and opened the car. He may not be able to follow Carin but he could certainly go past the drug store and see if Cindy was really there. He started the engine and reached for his phone to let his brother know what was happening before he remembered the demon had put his phone into her pocket.

Damn it!

He flicked open the glove box and rummaged around for another phone. There were two spare phones in the car, but both were dead, batteries had not been charged for some time. He pulled things out of the glove box until a charger could be found, but it wasn't the right one for the phones.

They'd have to do some serious restocking and recharging later. Right now….what was the right choice? Head back to the motel and grab Sam, probably losing the only chance to find Cindy-demon, or head straight to the drugstore and see if the girl was there?

He ran his hand across his mouth and grimaced. No choice, really.

The drive to the drug store only took ten minutes in the morning traffic, and there, hiding around the corner, was Cindy, a young man Dean could only deduce was Aaron, and another young fellow, a dark haired teenager going full on second base with the possessed girl.

Dean drove ahead and parked before filling his pockets with vials of holy water and small salt containers. The demon knife was with Sam, but he wasn't intending to engage the demons. He just wanted to follow them to their base so he could come back with Sam later.

He wasn't too worried about the boy, Chad, as the only kills so far were girls, but there was nothing to say Cindy wouldn't be the one to die this time. Demon could jump to the boy, and voila, next victim.

He locked the car and strolled to the drugstore as casually as he could, stopping at the alley.

"Chad?" he called out. "Dude, is that you?" The boy and Cindy pulled back, and Chad glared at the hunter.

"Who the eff are you, man?" the boy yelled to Dean.

"You don't remember me?" Dena walked a little closer, but wanted to keep enough distance in case the demons made him. "Doesn't matter. I'm on the way to your place, I'll let your mom know I saw you. And your girlfriend"

Chad stepped back, a note of panic in his eyes. "My mom? You'd tell my mom?"

Dean gave him a smile. "Sure dude, I mean, it's not like you're supposed to be on the way to school, or anything is it?"

Chad looked at Cindy, and then down at his feet. "I'm sorry, Cindy, maybe we can meet up later, okay? My mom'd kill me if I skipped school. Can we hook up later?"

Cindy cocked a hip and folded her arms. "Gee, Chad, I thought you had a couple. Some random turns up and you ditch me? I dunno if I wanna meet up later"

Chad looked at Dean, and chanced leaning in towards Cindy, his voice pitched low, thinking the older man could not hear him. "Just tell me where to meet you and I'll be there in an hour"

Cindy touched her forehead to the boy's. "I'll text you. If I feel like it"

Chad kissed her quickly on the lips and grabbed his backpack from the ground and ran towards Dean. "You won't tell my mom?"

Dean made a zip gesture over his lips and Chad gave him a relieved nod, then ran off towards the high school. Dean turned back to the demons in the alley. "Shouldn't you kids be following him to school?"

The boy stepped a little closer, looking Dean up and down. Finally he shrugged. "Free period"

Dean smiled at him. "Cool. Catch you 'round!" and he turned and walked into the drug store.

He walked over to the newspapers and picked one up, scanning the front page with as much interest in his expression as he could muster.

Glancing under his lashes he saw they didn't follow him, instead headed out of the alley and across the road. He gave them a couple of minutes, and headed out after them.

They walked casually, holding hands, looking for all the world like normal teenagers, not demon possessed killing monsters.

They took him on a winding journey through town, ending up at a run down industrial estate, most of the buildings derelict, some burnt out, others covered in graffiti. He made sure they couldn't see him, but as they walked through the large empty spaces in between buildings it was going to be a lot harder to keep up without them noticing.

Dean scanned around and noticed a fire escape that seemed quite intact, leading up to the flat roof of one of the more substantial buildings.

Fantastic, he could get a bird's eye view of all of the surrounding structures, hopefully he could check out which was their base of operations.

He moved as stealthily as he could manage and made it to the fire escape, and climbed as quietly as the creaky metal would allow. Thankfully the traffic from nearby, the flapping of half hung doors and general rubbish covered his noises for the most part, and he made it to the top of the ladder with pretty much no noise.

Or so he thought.

As he reached for the top rung of the ladder a strong hand reached over and grabbed his arm, hauling him onto the roof in one easy movement.

Aaron held him at his arm's length, but as he was so much shorter than Dean he could only manage to hold the hunter upright rather than off his feet. Still, being demon, he was strong, and Dean didn't even bother to struggle.

He looked at the three demons on the roof. Carin, Cindy and Aaron holding him. "Skank, skankette, and boy skank" he nodded to each one, and Aaron let him go.

"Well, hunter boy, seems you're onto us." Carin allowed her eyes to shine black. "I'm shaking in my stilettos. Big scary man is following two children and a ninety pound ballet teacher"

Dean rolled his eyes but didn't reply. He wasn't quite sure how to play this one. Three against one, he had no effective weapon, and they could throw him off the roof in a heartbeat. Maybe just wait and see how things unfolded, he thought.

Carin walked up to him and brushed down the front of his shirt, tousled his hair, then ran her finger down his jaw line. He quirked a brow. "Playing with the merchandise?"

She gave him a feral grin. "Just wondering if I eat you now, or save you for later, hunter boy." She stepped back and folded her arms. "So, how much do you know? Or are you just flailing blindly, hoping to strike it lucky?"

Dean regarded her, wondering how much to let on, and if she's see though any bluff. "I'm just trying to save the girls, is all. Why are you back? Why now? Who called you?"

Carn looked at Cindy. "You're concerned with the little virgins, are you?" she walked over to the girl, and grabbed her from behind, one hand around her shoulders, the other across her forehead. "I could snap her neck like a twig"

Dean moved a step, but Carin dragged Cindy back, the girl not protesting in any way. In fact, she was smiling, her black eyes glinting in the morning sun.

He leaned back on his heels, arms spread, hands palms up, a surrendering gesture. "I thought you liked to carve them up when they're still alive" he tried, anything to buy some time, get the girl out of such a dangerous position.

Carin nodded and looked thoughtful. "Yes, you _are_ right" she nodded to the hunter, then her face darkened as the evil snarl returned. "But you see, Cindy here is a naughty girl. She didn't wait for her wedding night. Little slut has been giving it out for months, now" with barely any effort she twisted the girls neck, an audible crunch sounded as the spinal cord shattered and Carin let the limp body drop to the ground. Dean cried out in spite of himself, biting his tongue before he could say anything.

Carin laughed. "Poor hunter boy. Tried to save the little girly" Cindy stood up and shook herself. "Why look, good as new!" Carin laughed again.

"You freaking dirty black eyed skank" Dean growled, and Carin laughed louder.

"What are you worried about, she's fine….for now"

Dean felt full of despair. How could he face the young police man, knowing his sister was only walking around coz of the demon holding her together?

"I've had enough fun. Let's see if you can fly" Carin flicked her head and Dean flew backwards, his heels dragging across the concrete roof, scrabbling to gain purchase, but he continued speeding till he hit the edge, and careered right off the roof of the derelict factory.

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><p><strong>AN ...I will try to get another chapter up soon...haven't even started it yet... as always, reviews are my life blood, I appreciate and thank you if you take the time...**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N... yeah, I got nothin'...**

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><p>Sam looked at the caller I.D. "Dean! It's about time"<p>

"Think again, honey. Your hunter is toastie spread about now. And who might you be?"

The female voice was easy to recognize, but Sam didn't answer. Instead he grabbed the colt and shoved it in the back of his pants.

"It's the other 'FBI' man, isn't it? The friend of my hungry hungry hunter?"

Sam checked he had the knife, the gun, salt, holy water, anything else he might need.

"Are you shy, honey? Scared to talk to a pretty girl? Maybe you don't roll that way"

"Cut the crap, skank. Where's my brother?"

"Ooh, potty mouth! I like!" Carin crooned. "But too late for him. I had him smooshed. Now, dear, he wasn't in a very chatty mood, but I think you and I had a bit more of a rapport. How 'bout we meet up and exchange notes?"

Sam grabbed the motel key and locked the room as he left, not sure which way to head, but unable to stand and talk. "Sure. Sounds like a plan to me. Where are you?"

Carin laughed. "Well, bring a spade and scrape your partner…no wait, you said brother? So much better! Bring a spade to scrape his guts up. I'll see you after that, Sam. It is Sam, isn't it? Used your right first name? Comes up in this phone as Sam"

Sam felt his breath catch at the mention of his brother injured…or worse. "Where are you?" it was a massive effort to keep his voice steady.

"Old factory on the south side of town. Tallest building, next to a red stain. That'd be Dean. I've sent you the car keys, they're on the tire of the car, near the drug store. Ring me when you've done with the mess and I'll meet you" she hung up.

Sam pocketed the cell and took off at a jog. They weren't too far from the drug store, and he was there within ten minutes.

As promised, the keys were on the driver's side wheel, and he burned rubber to the industrial estate, every now and then taking a deep breath and trying to steady his wild, panicking thoughts.

The drive took forever, it seemed, even though it would have been a fairly short walk. He screeched to a halt in the redundant car park, the tallest building was easy to spot. So was the man hanging desperately about two floors from the top, his jacket snagged on a pipe, one arm supporting almost the entire weight of his muscular body.

Sam climbed the rickety fire escape ladder as fast as his large frame would allow, kicking in the window of the floor nearest Dean and climbing through.

It took him no time at all to find the closest window to his brother, but he couldn't get it open. Instead he smashed one a bit further down, and called out to his brother.

"Dean!" His brother's body didn't move. "Dean! Are you okay?"

He saw his brother twitch a little, then slowly turn his head. There was a large purplish bruise over one eye, he must've hit his head as he went off the roof. Slowly the green yes opened, blinking against the bright sunlight. "Bout time. What took you so long?"

Sam smiled. If his brother could bitch, he should be okay.

"I have to smash the window over you, I can't open it. Can you cover your face?"

Dean moved a little, then shook his head. "Been hanging around here too long, I'm seized up"

Sam took off his jacket and threw it at his brother; it hooked over his head and hung over his face, a perfect shot.

"Okay man, just keep your eyes closed. I'm gonna smash it now, okay?"

He ran to the next window and carefully broke it with the but of his gun, he had to clear out all of the glass before he could lean over without cutting his stomach. Looking around he found some old hunks of carpet. They smelled pretty bad, but he hooked them over the ledge to protect both of them.

Reaching out he grabbed Dean's wrist and hauled him up, then grabbed his brother's other hand that weakly reached up to meet his.

With a grunt he pulled back, Dean's jacket ripping as he pulled and leaving a piece of itself hanging on the drain that had saved his brother's life.

They both fell back in a heap, Sam panting, Dean just lying still. Sam jumped up and started checking Dean all over before his brother batted him away.

"I'm okay, just gimme a minute"

Sam helped him sit up and gingerly poked around the shoulder that had taken all the strain. "I don't think it's dislocated" he said quietly.

Dean pulled himself up with a groan. "Nah, it's fine. Just a bit of a strain"

They filled each other in on the latest developments as the slowly walked down the internal stairs. "Sucks man, Hobson raised his sister after his parents died. This is gonna tear him apart."

Sam nodded. "Nothing you could do. You know that, right?"

"Still sucks ass. You know, if she'd been a virgin she probably woulda been gutted by now anyway. I guess we can't win, either way"

Dean stopped and turned to Sam.

"She's gonna call you back. Miss Carin. She thinks I'm dead"

Sam nodded. "Yeah, I guess she didn't stop to see if you hit the deck or not"

"Let's get up to the roof and see if we can figure out where they're holed up"

They turned and trudged all the way back up, and as they reached the top Sam's cell started to ring. He pulled it out, then showed it to Dean.

The caller ID showed that Dean was ringing.

Sam accepted the call but said nothing.

"I guess you're a little upset about now. Need to make funeral arrangements and all that"

Sam just grunted and while Dean looked around, trying to pinpoint where they might be.

"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue? Or just too heartbroken to speak?"

Sam sighed heavily. "I'm just surprised"

Carin let out a little laugh. "Surprised at what, my handsome young hunter?"

Dean walked to the edge of the roof; it looked like he may have found something.

"Well, I kinda had the impression that you might have been a high level demon, but you talk like the same old single figure pay grade douchebag we always have to deal with. Thought you'd be a little more highbrow, that's all"

Silence followed. He looked at the phone to make sure he was still connected.

"That was not very nice" Carin finally answered. "You think you know who I am. You have no idea of the power I wield."

Dean gestured to his brother and Sam nodded. Dean had spotted something.

"All I'm hearing is blah blah blah" Sam looked up to see his brother grinning at him. "You're not giving me anything any old demon over the passed twenty years hasn't given me"

He could almost hear Carin's face turn red with anger. "I am more than you have ever dealt with, boy! I am the one who will bring you to your knees! I am.."

"Blah blah blah" Sam cut her off. "Devil's trap and an exorcism and your ass is toast, sister."

She growled back through the phone. "No simple devils trap or exorcism would banish me, little man. You need to find the ritual of silence, and the blood of a five hoofed goat to even come close to banishing me!"

"Uh, thanks. What else would I need to banish a high level demon like you?"

She squealed with frustration and hung up.

Dean slapped his brother on the back. "Makes my heart proud, grasshopper"

Sam smirked back at him. "What, that I channelled you? Makes me feel a little dirty" but he felt good that his brother had praised him. "So what did you find?"

Dean led him to the edge of the roof and pointed to a large office building, abandoned but not quite as run down as the factories. Sam squinted against the reflected light, and there, sure enough, was the flicker of red as an agitated Miss Carin paced back and forth behind the dirty windows.

"Yhatzee" Dean announced.

"Double Yhatzee. Dance teacher gave me a bit more information on banishing her."

Dean rolled his shoulder, wincing as he did. "Well, let's get back to the motel and call Bobby se if he can put it all together"

Sam nodded, then stopped, frozen, staring at the other building.

"Dean?" he pointed to the window they had seen Carin. "Is that another girl?"

Dean squinted. "Can't make it out, man. But if that is another girl, then we gotta get her out before they butcher her. Ring her back. See if you can get it out of her"

Sam nodded and rang the demon again. She didn't answer.

"Okay, let's get off this roof, at least. We're sitting ducks up here, and I for one don't wanna take another swan dive off the edge" Dean rubbed his shoulder again.

Sam nodded an agreement and they hit the stairs.

X

Sam tried Carin again, and this time she answered. "Thought I'd give you a head's up"

"On what? How stupid you are?" she snarled back.

"Just letting you know, I have something that will be of great interest to you"

Dean crabbed the binoculars from the trunk and focussed on the windows, trying to see if another girl had been taken.

"What, Mr Hunter? Your flat brother tastes delicious in a sandwich?"

"Um, my brother is standing right beside me. And he is not flat"

"Maybe just my washboard abs" Dean called back, and Sam pulled a face at him.

Carin was quiet for a moment. "That's impossible. I threw him off the roof myself"

Sam leaned against the passenger door of the impala, his view to the office building clear, as Dean scanned every window.

"See, that's what I was talking about. High level demons would have known it takes more than that to kill a hunter. Especially a hunter like my brother"

"It's a trick. He cannot be alive"

Dean lowered the binoculars, shook his head and mouthed 'No girl'.

Sam nodded and handed the phone to Dean.

"What's your problem, bitch?"

Carin grunted. "Huh. I guess it takes more than a joy flight to kill you. Not to worry. After tomorrow night I'll have all I need to wipe your pretty face right off your head."

"What's happening tomorrow night?"

Carin let out a short bark. "Stupid boy. Your brother got me once, I'm not so foolish as to fall for that trap again."

Dean handed Sam the binoculars to continue searching the exposed windows. "I wouldn't dream of assuming you were foolish. Struck me as quite the genius. Besides, you gotta find yourself another virgin first, dontcha?"

"I have one in mind already. Won't take us too long to get her here, then you'll be one sorry boy, believe me."

Dean frowned. "Oh, I do, I do, trust me. Who yah got in mind?"

"Turns out your little ho Cindy has many friends, and she's sure this one is a virgin. We'll have her by the end of the day! Can I tell you how excited I am, hunter boy?"

"By all means, tell me. Impress me with your greatness. Is this gonna be another blonde?"

"The hair color matters not. Nor any of her features. Just as well for this one! As long as she is a virgin, I will have what I need."

Dean frowned at her disregard for the poor girl. "So, an ugly virgin, friend of Cindy's, and you'll take her tonight. Any chance you'll give me her name?"

Carin hung up. Dean shook his head and handed the phone back to Sam. "High I.Q. is not a criteria for this demon"

Sam handed Dean the binoculars. "You're not kidding. Unless it's a trap"

Dean shrugged. "I dunno. Me? I think she's just stupid"

Sam frowned. "Since when have we ever been lucky enough to cop a break like that?" He opened the car door. "More likely she's setting us up. We gotta be carful, plan for either. So what clues did you get on the next victim?"

Dean hopped in the driver's seat. "I think the girls she's after is one I saw at the diner, but I don't wanna bet on it. Ring Bobby and see if he's got anything for us. We gotta at least put her flunkies down, and maybe her, too. Before she gets ugly Betty"

X

"Where the hell are we gonna find a five hoofed goat, Bobby?" Dean was near yelling into the cell.

"Calm down, boy. I got some here. It's a ritual name for hemp. It's blood would be hemp oil."

Dean ran his hand down his face. "They're gonna kill another girl. Tonight. If you can help us…"

"I'll gather up the supplies. But Dean, I'm at least eleven hours from where you are. We can't banish this demon tonight. You and Sam are gonna have to work this the old way till I get there"

Dean sighed. "Yeah. Yeah, thanks, Bobby. Keep in touch."

The microwave let out a 'ting' and Sam handed Dean his reheated breakfast.

Dean sniffed it and threw it on the table. "It's after lunch time. That died about three hours ago" he sat on the edge of the motel table. "We gotta go in there and gank these suckers. At least try to stop the latest girl getting gutted"

Sam nodded in agreement, and opened his mouth to answer just as Dean's phone rang.

Dean looked at the number. "It's Hobson" he said, and answered the call.

Sam handed his brother a coffee but Dean sat it on the table, his face creased with worry. He ended the call and looked at his brother, concern and sorrow in his eyes.

"Hobson got a report on a sighting of his sister. She was walking with another girl towards the drug store. He went there but couldn't find them"

"I guess we know where they're headed" Sam replied. "You wanna head out?"

Dean picked up the coffee and slurped a large mouth full. "We got no choice. We wait, the girl dies"

Sam grabbed his duffle and did a quick weapons check. He wiped the blade of the demon killing knife, Dean had recently sharpened it into an even deadlier edge.

"Ready?"

Dean nodded and they headed out to the demon lair.

X

X

**Present Day - NOW**

Late afternoon had hit them so fast Dean wondered where the day went. Oh, that's right, he'd spent most of it just hanging around. He pulled his baby up on the slightly busy street that sided the industrial estate, a few apartment buildings, a scattering of small shops, not much to notice.

The abandoned office building fronted this street, its doors nailed over, but it had a small lane either side and the boys chose one to quietly slip down, the fading light helping to hide their activity.

The came around the back where they had earlier spotted an outside staircase that led up to the third floor, and climbed stealthily, the setting sun shining off the windows like distant fires.

As they reached the third floor Dean peeked into a window, and signalled to Sam…two demons…one girl. Sam nodded. Carin? he mouthed back, and Dean shook his head.

They were on a small landing that had a door and two windows that could be accessed from their position, and Dean started to work on the door lock.

The door opened silently, and they went in, Dean with a sawn off filled with salt rounds, Sam with the knife. The first room was empty, and Sam tipped his head to the next room, the one that they had seen through the window. Dean nodded and the quietly stalked their way, the door slightly ajar, and as Sam pushed it a loud creak rounded out. A very frightened young girl looked up at them, her ankles bound, arms tied behind her back, a gag in her mouth. Sam bent, his finger against his lips in a 'shush' gesture. She nodded, understanding, and tears started to spill from her eyes. Dean noticed her glasses on the ground beside her and picked them up.

Sam pulled off her gag and untied her; Dean passed her the glasses and pointed to the door, once again indicating to her to stay quiet. She threw her arms around him and quietly sobbed. Dean looked at Sam and peeled her off, but she turned and threw herself at the taller man, wrapping her arms around his waist, her head buried into his sternum. Dean smiled at Sam as he pulled the girl free, and gently pushed her towards the door. She smiled through her tears and nodded, and this time she left.

Sam rolled his eyes at Dean who smirked back. At least they had saved her. He pointed to the window, and they saw the girl hurrying down the stairs.

The opened the next door, and there stood the demons wearing their teenage meat suits.

Cindy had changed into her cheerleader outfit, her long blonde curls falling over her shoulders, Aaron was beside her, his eyes black, his face pulled into a grimace.

"Aw, this is gonna be too easy" Dean smiled, and Aaron smiled back.

X

Carin lowered her binoculars. She had been standing on the roof of the next building and witnessed the hunters free her latest sacrifice, and knew what they were doing to her faithful followers.

She pulled out the cell phone and dialled the police station, making sure there was a note of panic in her voice.

"I saw them, two men, they were hurting this girl in a cheerleader outfit. I think her name is Cindy. They said they were going to rape her and cut her guts out. Oh please, please hurry!"

She hung up and dropped the cell to the concrete top and ground it beneath her shoe. A reptilian smile cut through her soft face. That would teach those damn smart alec nuisances to interfere with her plans.

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><p><strong>AN...so, this brings us up to date...hope you are enjoying so far. As always I worship at the shrine of your reviews...**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N...Sorry for the delay...still, hope you like what I have here... warnings for police brutality and Dean hurt...and yucky mental images, if you wanna go there... I didn't...**

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><p>Bobby allowed Sam to help him out of his van and into the wheelchair, neither saying anything about the disability. Sam wheeled him into the motel room as dawn was breaking over the horizon.<p>

"Geez, Bobby, this is one sticky mess we're in"

Bobby hauled his backpack off his lap and tossed it onto the bed. "You're not wrong. Dean's not only in jail, but a sitting duck for any demon that gets wind of him. We gotta act fast on this one"

Sam leaned against the table. "That's if the cops don't do him in first. They think he killed Hobson's sister. He was beat up pretty bad before they even took him out of the building"

"That's just great. Poor boy's gonna have his work cut out just stayin' alive. Well, let's get to it. We need a plan. Put on the coffee and fill me in on anything we can use."

"Well" Sam said as he stood "None of the cops have seen me. I spoke to Hobson, the brother, once, but that's all. I guess that's gotta help"

"Thank god for small mercies" Bobby flipped open a large journal, and turned it to show Sam. "I got a bit more info on this demon, and it aint good"

"Well, that's all I need. More bad news"

X

X

X

They threw Dean so hard that he fell and hit his face no the edge of the shower stall, cutting his already bloody lip. "Get up, scum" the police officer growled. "This is just the beginning. Don't need you passing out just yet"

Dean groaned and rolled to his knees, his hands were cuffed behind his back. He shuffled up until he was standing, and turned to look at the five policemen who were 'processing' him.

So far no fingerprints, mug shots or history had been taken. They were pissed at him, and not afraid to show it.

He knew he would have trouble just staying alive until Sam figured out how to get him out of here. He guessed the only good thing was that they had been so lax in processing him that at least his prints wouldn't hit the official channels just yet, and alarm bells would stay quiet, for now.

What would happen when they finally did put his information in the system he could only guess. Of course, it was a pretty good guess, him supposed to be dead, and all…

"Take your clothes off" the largest officer barked at him. Dean's tilted his head, then turned to show his hands still shackled behind his back.

"Being uncooperative, are we?" a younger officer commented. "Looks like we're gonna have to help him out, boys"

The cops grabbed Dean and threw him to the shower floor, one of them brandished a large knife. Dean frowned. It was _his_ knife. They cut his clothes off, roughly, nicking and slicing his flesh 'accidently' until he had only his boxers.

A look passed between the police and Dean felt his stomach turn to ice. The big cop bent, and cut his boxers off him. "Well, boy, we better check you're not concealing any contraband" he said, as one of the other officers snapped a rubber glove on his hand with an exaggerated flourish.

"Turn him over"

"Oh, fuck" Dean gasped, and started to struggle against four pair of hands. A sharp boot kick to the temple stunned him, but unfortunately didn't render him unconscious.

"Hold still, you sicko. I wanna make sure this hurts you _way more_ than it hurts me". All of the police started to laugh, and Dean prayed to pass out.

X

X

X

X

Sam slammed the trunk after stowing Bobby's wheelchair. He was dressed in a suit and tie, a briefcase on the seat beside him. Bobby was already in the passenger seat, also in a suit and tie.

"How're we gonna explain knowing he was arrested? It wasn't on the local news"

Sam turned to Bobby, his face creased with worry.

"You were tipped off by someone in the crowd? I dunno… we'll think of something. You and your brother are great at thinking on your feet."

Sam started the car and pulled out of the motel car park. "Yeah. Yeah. Look. The thing is, they're gonna be pounding Dean into the ground. They think he killed one of their own, and they aren't gonna go easy on him"

"Well, main thing is we gotta find out just how strong their case is, and if we can get him outta there without going through the legal system. This time, just like we talked about, check out where they're holding him, and if bail is an option"

"You don't seriously think they'll allow bail"

Bobby shrugged. "Caint hurt to ask"

Sam pulled up at the local library and cut the engine. "You sure you'll be all right?"

Bobby nodded. "Demon don't know me. I'll be fine. Just be sure you check in as soon as you can, let me know how Dean is"

"Yeah, sure thing Bobby"

He helped the older hunter into his wheelchair and pushed him up the steep disabled ramp to the local library-cum-history museum.

"I'll call"

Bobby touched Sam's arm. "He's strong, boy. He'll be all right. And we'll get him outta there"

Sam nodded, and turned to leave. He stopped, and turned back to his surrogate father. "If they've hurt him any more…"

Bobby sighed. "They will have. Chances are, they beat him to mince meat. Best thing we can do is find a way to get him out. Soon"

X

X

Sam stood at the reception counter of the rather modern police station as he waited for someone to attend to him. There was a two way mirror behind the long polished wood counter top, and he had heard a chime when he walked in, so he know they were aware someone was there.

He tapped his fingers impatiently on the counter. Where the hell were they?

Finally a door opened, and a uniformed officer stepped up to greet him.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, sir. We got a troublesome prisoner that's taking up a bit of our time"

Sam pulled a card from his top pocket and handed it to the cop. "I believe you may be talking about my client"

The cop took the card but didn't look at it. "You wanna explain what you mean by that?"

Sam touched the card. "Sam Elliot. Attorney. My client was arrested last night and taken to this police station."

The cop looked at the card and back at Sam. "Got any other I.D.?"

Sam pulled out a photo I.D. and handed it to the cop.

"Why would anyone want to represent a piece of shit like that guy?"

Sam's lips thinned. "I believe my client is innocent until proven guilty. Did anyone actually see him do anything? Was he caught in the act? Murder weapon on him?"

The police man leaned on the counter. "He was right in the middle of the murder scene, he'd obviously been fighting, and there were two dead bodies, both stabbed. Red handed? Pretty much"

Sam rolled his eyes. "Sounds like a pretty thin case, to me. I want to see my client, _right now_, and he's better be in the same shape as when I last saw him, or there'll be more trouble than you can handle"

The cop sniffed disdainfully. "Well, he's a clumsy one, fell over a lot. Not our fault. Wait here. I'll get the chief"

Sam leaned on the counter as the cop walked back through the 'restricted area' door, and he glared at the two way mirror. He knew they would all be behind there, checking him out, and he was determined not to give them anything.

He had felt his heart sink at what may have happened to Dean, but was sure he hadn't let it show in his face. What would happen when he finally saw his brother, he didn't know.

X

Crowney frowned at the tall man behind the glass. "Re you gonna let him see his 'client'?" he asked his sergeant. The chief swivelled around on his chair and looked at the young man.

"He has a legal right to council, no matter what he's done. You know that"

Crowney sighed. "He killed Cindy"

Quiet fell in the office overlooking the front reception area. The lawyer stood there, tapping his fingers impatiently, glaring at the two way mirror as if he could see the police staring back at him.

"This guy will get him off on any technicality. They always do. I watch TV. I know what those hot shot big city lawyers can do, and the games they play"

The sergeant laid his hand on Corwney's shoulder. "That's T.V. This is real life. That douchebag aint goin' nowhere anytime soon" He turned to the desk officer. "Bring the shit out to his lawyer. Take your time. Stick them in the dog box, but make sure the D.A. is here before they start talking"

"What about some clothes? He's still buck naked"

The sergeant allowed a creepy smile to drift over his features. "We took that homeless guy in last night. See if there's something suitably gross in his pile of fetid stench we peeled off him."

The desk officer smiled back, and slapped Crowney on the back. "Don't you worry, bro. We look after our own"

Crowney looked up at him. "Hobson is gutted, man. That girl was his whole life. You make sure what ever piece of clothing you give him, that it's got shit on it"

x

The cop slapped him so hard his eyelid started to bleed. "Wake up, douche, your lawyer is here"

Dean turned his head, the cold shower drain had left an imprint on his bruised and swollen cheek. The cop threw a soiled pair of underpants at him. "Spose you'd better make yourself pretty for him"

Dean slowly lifted himself to a sitting position and looked at the underwear on his leg. They had been worn, and for a long time, too, by the smell of them.

"You have got to be kidding me" he croaked. "There things are disgusting. I can't wear them"

"So, you refusing to cooperate again?"

Dean sighed. Was it worth another beating? He slowly pulled on the filthy garment and stood, the movement taking a great deal of effort. He swayed and stumbled, the cop just smirking at him, he offered no hand to steady the beaten man.

"Come on, creep, time's a wastin" and he shoved Dean roughly down the corridor, making sure he was rough enough to push him into the wall on more than one occasion.

The stopped outside a door leading to what looked like a supply room, it was labelled 'Interview Room Seven" and looked pretty unused.

They stood here, not moving, and Dean felt his head growing heavier. He leaned against the wall, but that just bought him a night stick to the kidneys. "Stand up, you stinking pile of shit."

Dean gave him a pissy look, but he didn't speak. He was too sore and tired to manage a come back, and didn't want to be beaten any more. Especially as he was pretty sure it was Sam waiting to see him, he didn't want his brother seeing any more blood or bruises. Sam was going to be upset enough seeing what has happened so far.

They stood for nearly half an hour, the heat from Dean's body warming up the filthy underwear and allowing the aroma drift up to his swollen nostrils, which unfortunately were unblocked just enough to let the stench in.

He felt himself grow increasingly light headed, and knew if they kept him waiting like this much longer he would pass out.

Finally footsteps behind him heralded some change, and the police grabbed his arm and spun him around, slamming his back into the wall.

"D.A.'s here"

The D.A. was a tall man, not quite Sam's height, with thick black hair and luminous blue eyes. His features were sharp, his expression sharper.

"This is the pile of shit that killed Cindy Hobson?" he demanded.

Dean tilted his head but didn't answer. The cop tabbed him in the stomach with the night stick.

"Answer the man, you dirt bag"

Dean coughed, doubled over, then straightened. "No" he rasped. "I did am not the pile of shit that killed Cindy"

The cop hit him again, and the D.A. placed his hand over the police man's. "Unless you want more of your intestines tickled, you'd better give me some straight answers"

Dean coughed and spat a wad of blood at the attorney's shoe. "My lawyer is here. I want to speak to him. I aint saying nuthin' else till I speak to him"

The D.A raised his brow. "Brave one, aren't you? Well, let's get to it, then."

He nodded at the cop who opened the door to the interview room.

The police station was modern, it looked like it had been built in the last two years, but the interview room looked like it had been torn from the last century. It was cold, bare, the walls were stained and dirty. The metal table was dented and bent, the chairs were rusty and old.

Sam was standing in a corner, his briefcase on the table. When he saw his brother shuffle in, wearing some other dude's filthy underwear, his body covered in black bruises, marks and cuts, he couldn't help but jump forward.

"What the hell happened here? I demand you take my client to the hospital right now!"

The D.A. pushed Dean into a chair, wrinkling his nose at the stink coming off him. "This is the condition he was found."

"You gotta be kidding me. Where are his clothes? Whose underwear is that? These cuts and bruises are fresh, these have happened recently, not 12 hours ago"

The D.A smirked and raised his brows at the police office. The cop smiled back and leaned against the door, his arms folded.

"He soiled himself, so we had to remove his clothes. Those were the only spares we had. The rest? He slipped in the shower."

Dean slowly rolled his eyes over to his brother, relieved to see him, grateful to be sitting, worried that Sam was gonna pound someone after seeing the condition he was in.

"You will all leave this room. I will speak to my client alone" Sam's tone boded no room for negotiation, he was simmering, and it showed.

The D.A. pulled over a beaten up chair and sat. "First I think we need to discuss a few things with your client"

Sam stepped over to the D.A., allowing his height to intimidate the seated man. "_First_, I think you will both leave, before I feel inclined to physically remove you"

The policeman took a step forward. "Are you threatening us?"

Sam gave him a cold smile. "I wouldn't want you to 'trip' on your way out. But you _will leave_, and you _will leave now_"

They looked at him, then at the two way mirror that took up most of the wall on one side. The D.A. stood and nodded at the cop, and they started out of the door.

"This will be a private meeting between my client and myself. No recording. No listening in. If this request is not honoured, you know that his rights will have been violated, resulting in all charges being made void. Do you understand?"

The D.A. scowled and slammed the door behind him as he left. Dean smiled up at his brother.

"Dude, you so bad ass" he rasped, then rested his forehead on the table.

"Dean, my god, they've damn near taken you apart" Sam bent to his brother and tipped his head up, supporting his chin with his palm. He looked at the bruised and cut lips, one eye swollen shut and the other bright red from a burst blood vessel, nose swollen, cheeks blue and cut.

His brother was covered in cuts, bruises, swellings…. 'My god, what is that smell?"

Dean blinked, a single tear rolling down his face. "They cut off my clothes. To check I wasn't concealing anything…inside me. This is what they gave me to wear"

Sam shook his head. "Inside you? You mean…backdoor?"

Dean pulled his head back and looked away. "Not just there. Everywhere"

"Dean…"

"And they didn't just use their hands"

"Dean.."

"I fought back. I fought for as long as I could"

"Dean…"

The bright green eye, stained red and bruised underneath, turned and locked him with an intensity that burned with a fierce determination. "It's done. I don't want to talk about it any more. Can you get me out?"

Sam frowned, his eyes moist and his breath catching as he struggled to remain composed with the sight of his ravaged brother before him. "I will. I promise. Soon"

Dean laid his forehead back on the table. The room was cold, but he wasn't shivering. The cool stainless steel table top was soothing on his hot forehead.

"Find the girl"

Sam pulled up a chair and sat next to his brother. "What?"

"The girl. Ugly Betty. Find her"

Sam sighed. "I dunno if it'll help. She saw demons, and they were walking and talking when she left. The only thing she can do is clear you from kidnapping her"

"Still need to find her" Dean kept his face on the table, his hands on his lap.

"Cops will bring her in. Bobby heard it on the radio. They're looking for her"

Dean lifted his head with a groan. "Bobby's here?"

The door cracked open and the police man and District Attorney entered.

"Yes, your father is in town. I'll bring him by later" Sam looked at the two officials, then dragged his chair over to sit beside Dean.

The D.A. sat; the cop leaned against the wall.

"I trust you were able to confer with your client?" the D.A. asked.

Sam only scowled at him.

The D.A. opened a manila folder, and took a pen from his pocket. "Your client has not given us his name"

Dean growled. "No one asked me for it"

Sam placed a hand on his brother's arm. "Speak only through me" he said quietly.

"Does this mean you have held him with out charges and without reading his rights?"

The D.A. gave Sam a triumphant grin. "We can hold him for forty eight hours as a material witness without charges. You know that"

Sam nodded, trying to look like _of course, I knew that._

A thought came to him. "He also has that forty eight hours to refuse all and any information until formal charges are to be laid" It was a bluff, but by the look on the D.A.'s face, it was a good one.

He slammed his folder shut and stared at the 'lawyer' and his client. "He _will_ be charged. He was impersonating a federal agent"

"Are you sure of that?"

The D.A. once again looked stumped. "What do you mean?"

"Did anyone find any I.D.?" He looked at Dean, who was staring at him with pride. "Or is it with the murder weapon that you failed to find on my client?"

"He identified himself as FBI at one of the murder scenes"

Sam leaned back a little. "To whom?"

D.A. looked pissed. "The brother of the latest victim" he looked down. "And his partner"

Sam squeezed Dean's arm. "Anyone without prejudice?"

The cop stood straight, his face starting to color. "Are you trying to free a murderer?"

Sam regarded him with a sneer. "Not at all, officer. I am trying to get my client, an innocent man who happened to be left at the scene _by the murderer_, off. The real murderer is still out there"

The cop looked at the D.A., then at Dean, his fists clenching and unclenching, a muscle in his haw jumping. He looked ready to explode, but said nothing else.

The D.A. stood as the door opened again. "Time's up" the policeman who'd opened the door informed them, and Sam also stood.

"I'll be back later with a change of clothes for my client. I will be waiting to see him get changed into those clothes, and I will be taking pictures of his wounds, and his clothes. All of this will become evidence. Do you understand?"

The D.A. frowned, but nodded and walked ahead. Sam turned to Dean. "I'll be back. Soon"

Dean nodded, his face hopeful.

"I'll get you out. I promise you"

Dean nodded again. "I know you will. I have no doubt." He looked down at himself, the soiled underwear, his body covered in wounds. "Just…don't take too long, okay?"

Sam bit his lip to stop it trembling. He nodded, knowing if he spoke his voice would betray his worry.

He felt his heart tear into a thousand pieces when the door closed, the vision of his brother being roughly hauled to his feet searing into his brain.

brain.

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><p><strong>AN...please review...please?**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N...might be a coupla days till next chapter...sorry...**

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><p>Sam whirled to the D.A. the minute the door was closed. "Look, I get that you guys are pissed. Man, I would be, too, but you gotta understand, my client is innocent. You're beating up a guy who was trying to help. The real killer is still out there"<p>

The D.A. turned to him. "Elliot, is it? I'm Mike. You've got to know, that's what every lawyer says about his client. Your guy was caught red handed."

Sam ran his hand through his hair. "See, that's what they tell me, but all I see is a guy that was found flat on his back, not quite conscious, with two dead bodies nearby. No murder weapon was found, and he was not in any condition to conceal one by the time your cops came in."

Mike rolled back on his heels and regarded the lawyer with disgust. Cheap suit. Too eager. He'd eat this one alive in court. "So, Elliot, what are you suggesting happened?"

Sam frowned. "I'm not. But you got an anonymous tip. From what I've been told, the murders happened on the third floor, at the back of the building. No way a passer by could've seen what was happening. It was daylight, as well, so nothing illuminated buy any lights, in fact, the way the sun sets, there was probably too much glare to even see in the windows. Did anyone wonder how the 'concerned citizen' knew there was a murder?"

Mike frowned but didn't answer.

"If your cops can't do their job, maybe it's time you found someone that could. Having my br..um..my client here isn't catching the killer. More girls will die. My client is getting beat up for something he didn't do, and the pus bucket that killed Cindy Hobson is still walking around. Just think about that."

Sam turned to the cop. "I'll be back in an hour. I expect to be let straight through to see my client, and he had better not be sporting any new injuries. I haven't lost a civil rights law suit to date."

The cop smirked at him and shrugged. "Told you. He's clumsy"

Sam glared at him. "I hope you're not too attached to your house, then. A personal grievance suit could see my client sitting pretty on your couch" and he turned and stormed out of the police station.

The cop turned to the D.A. "Can he do that?"

Mike shrugged. "Yeah. Yeah, he can. Best you guys lay off for a little while, at least till we figure out what's going on here"

"You don't think he's innocent, do you?" asked the sergeant as the two walked into the main office.

"I don't know. But Elliot makes a good point. How did the anonymous tipster see the murders? What if our guy had an accomplice who turned on him? Or, worse yet, there really is still a killer out there?"

Crowney walked over to them. "All I can tell you is, he turned up after the murders, and seemed a bit too interested in Cindy right from the get go. My money's still on him"

Mike nodded. "The guy definitely has a few secrets stashed away there. I'm not pulling the plug on him yet. Still" he walked over to the coffee pot and poured himself a mug full "I would like to find our 'concerned citizen'. And check out if our man really did have a partner. Hobson said he did"

"Coroner saw his partner. He's the one that told us he was FBI" Crowney added.

"Okay, that's a lead, get someone down to the morgue to check that out"

"Sure thing" the sergeant held his coffee mug for Mike to fill. "Lawyer said he's coming back. Do we let him see the scuzz bucket?"

Mike nodded. "Full cooperation, for now. I don't want to lose this on a brutality charge. Although, I want to keep him on the material witness angle, so for now, no charges. And no putting him into the system yet..okay?"

"I can work with that" the cop nodded back.

X

X

X

X

Sam found Bobby in the basement of the town library, although there were only stairs, no elevator, he had no idea how the wheelchair bound hunter had made it down there.

Bobby looked up as Sam approached, and the look on the tall man's face was all he needed to comprehend the condition of his brother.

"That bad?"

Sam frowned. "Worse." He pulled a chair around from the table behind him and sat back to front, his arms crossed over the back of the chair in a move he didn't realize exactly mirrored a habit of his brother's.

"They beat him, cut him, they've cavity searched him, and he's sitting there in some old hobo's dirty underwear. God, Bobby…" the soulful eyes filled with tears.

The older hunter turned his chair to face the boy. "He's strong, Sam. And he knows you'll get him out. You just gotta stay strong for him"

Sam ran his hand through his hair and took a shuddering breath, and a single tear escaped and ran down his check. He swiped it away and nodded. "Yeah. Sure. Okay"

"So did you find out anything useful?"

Sam nodded. "They've not charged him yet, so his prints haven't hit the system. They're holding him as a material witness. Other than that, they got nothing. It's all circumstantial."

"They got any idea you involved?"

Sam shook his head. "They will, though, if they check with the coroner."

"You got any clue on state law?" Bobby asked him.

"No, I gotta read up on that. I've been bluffing so far."

Bobby leaned to one side, revealing a large law book concealed on the seat underneath him. "Figured it might come in handy"

Sam gave him a forced smile. "How about you? Anything more to go on?"

Bobby nodded and spun his chair back to the desk. "As it turns out, I got a few things here that can help. We still need to find out who summoned the demon, though. Nothing's gonna work without that."

"So, any clues as how to do that?"

Bobby shook his head. "Not yet. Well, not really. I was just starting to research the dance teacher's family. There's gotta be a reason she was chosen, I'm thinking she had something to do with the deal….but I caint figure out what. See here?" he pointed to an article from the local magazine he'd been reading when Sam had come in.

"She got successful with her little dance studio, but that was two years ago. Nothing's really changed much since then. She owes a little money, not much, she's had no big windfalls…I can't see anything changing to signal any kind of deal, or want for a deal"

Sam scanned the article, then sat back down. "What about her health? Maybe a cancer, or something?"

Bobby shook his head. "That's not this demon's kinda thing, but I checked it anyway. Clean bill. Nothing to report"

Sam sighed and shrugged. "I dunno, man. This job is turning out to be a nightmare." He looked down at his hands, then back at Bobby. "Oh, they haven't found the girl yet"

"The one you guys saved?" Bobby turned his chair back to face Sam. "Did either of you check her to see if she was a demon before you let her walk out of there?"

Sam's surprise showed clearly on his face. "God, Bobby, we didn't even think of that! We just saw a kid tied up and cut her free….geez, she coulda been anything!"

Bobby gave him a reassuring smile. "Why would you think anything different? You're the Winchesters, every damsel in distress' heroes."

"And Carin may have used that against us"

"Makes sense. I mean, I'd do it"

Sam thinned his lips and frowned. "Dean thinks she's important. He said we have to find her. Either way, demon or not, we _do _have to find her. If she's just an innocent girl, Carin might still be trying to gut her"

Bobby wheeled out from the desk. "Well, let's at it then"

Sam stood and stretched. "First, I want to take Dean some clothes, maybe some food. And he could use seeing you, as well. I told them you were his dad."

Bobby looked up at the young hunter. "Well, you may as well be."

That made the elder hunter smile wistfully.

X

X

X

X

Carin rubbed the gloss on her lips and smiled at her reflection in the small mirror, then snapped it shut and put it back in her purse. The girl on the floor struggled, her tears stained face crumpled with distress, her unkempt mousy hair tangled in the radiator that she'd been shackled to.

"Please, Miss Carin, please can I go home? I promise I won't tell anyone, I swear!" she begged.

Carin stepped over her without even looking down, and grabbed a rag from a pile on the floor, then walked back to the girl and gagged her. She didn't speak to the poor child, she just stood, smoothed down her sweater and left.

She walked the short distance to the five and dime on the corner and caught sight of a familiar figure. "Rachel, is that you?" she called out to the pretty brunette teenager. The girl turned and saw the dance teacher, and stopped to allow her to catch up.

Her face was sad, she wore no makeup, and her hair hung, uncombed and uncared for. "Oh, baby, you look so sad!" Carin grabbed her and hugged her.

Rachel let out a sob "Oh my god! Everyone's dying! And Denise is still missing!"

"Denise, missing?" Carin looked astonished. "But I just saw her, she never said a word!" Rachel pulled back and blinked the tears from her eyes, her lashes stuck and wet.

"Really? You saw her? Where is she?"

Carin gave her the warmest smile she could muster. "She's back here. Come with me and I'll show you!"

Rachel wiped her nose on her sleeve. "I dunno…I'm not supposed to go anywhere…."

Carin lifted the sad girl's chin with her fore finger. "Really? You think I'd let anyone hurt you? Your parents trust you to me twice a week, I think you can walk down a street with me to see your friend and feel a little better"

Rachel gave her a sad smile. "Yeah, okay, I guess"

Carnin took her hand. "That's settled, then. At least you'll see Denise is all right, and maybe you can talk her into going home. That would make you a hero!"

Rachel nodded, and brightened a little. "Yeah, I really think I could do that!" She walked along with the dance teacher. "Everyone _will _think I'm a hero!'

Carin smiled to herself, and walked the girl to the garage where she held Denise. That's two, she thought…. Just one more…..

X

x

Dean had been surprised when they hadn't led him back into the shower block after he'd met with Sam, but instead shoved him into a small open cell with a wooden trestle bed, a sea less toilet and a wash basin. The room was cold and harsh fluorescent lights beamed down on him. The guard threw him a pair of paper panties like they gave you in hospital, and he gratefully stripped off the filthy underwear and washed himself at the basin, drying with toilet paper and pulling on the tissue thin panties. At least they were clean.

He lay on the cold, hard cot, his head thumping, his side aching from at least two broken ribs. God, he hoped Sam would get him out soon.

His stomach rumbled and he limped back to the basin, there was no cup so he lapped water from his palm, and splashed his face before laying back down. He was hungry, cold, sore and tired. The tired won out and he drifted off into a fitful slumber.

The slamming of his cell door open woke him and he had to rub his eyes to peel them apart. He focused with great effort, and was relieved to see Bobby and Sam, a police officer beside them.

Bobby wheeled over and helped Dean sit upright. He looked at him briefly and turned back to the cop. "His ribs are broken. He needs medical attention!"

The cop leaned back against the door of the cell and folded his arms. "You have a medical degree? How do you know they're broken?"

Sam stood too close to the cop. "Get him a doctor. Now"

The cop stepped back, intimidated but the large man, and blinked rapidly. "You..you can't order me around!"

Sam stepped forward. "I can sue your ass off. And I can bring you up on charges for violating basic human rights. Want to try me?"

The cop shut the cell door and practically ran down the hall.

Dean let out a soft chuckle, clutching his middle as he did so. "When did you become so bad ass?"

Sam knelt at his brother's side. "Whenever anyone crossed my brother" he answered softly, and lifted the duffle from Bobby's lap.

He took out a full set of clothes and carefully helped his brother dress, neither man speaking nor drawing attention to the fact that Dean need help dressing. He stopped at his top, leaving him exposed for the doctor to strap his ribs. Gingerly Sam lowered his brother back onto the hard cot, then Bobby handed a blanket to Sam so he could drape it around Dean's shoulders.

Next Sam gave him a take away cup and Dean sipped it, only to find it contained soup, not coffee. He sipped again, his stomach growling loudly at the promise of sustenance. Bobby laughed a little.

"There's a sandwich, if you can hold the soup down" Dean looked up at him, his swollen eye barley a slit, the other still bright red. Bobby felt his guts twist at the sight of the man so badly beaten that he could barely sit straight.

"Yeah, give me a minute, I'll soon find out" he whispered back, his throat raw, though the warm soup was soothing it already.

Before he finished the warm beverage the cop was back with a doctor who gasped when he saw the condition of the man on the cot. Sam stood and gave the cop a pointed look, and the doctor whirled back to the police man.

"Why wasn't I called earlier?"

The cop placed his hand on the doctor's. "This is the guy we nabbed for Cindy Hobson"

"Oh" the doctor replied, and turned back to Dean.

"He's also innocent, and that will be proven within hours, so I'd appreciate if you would treat him as such" Sam sternly instructed. The doctor looked up at the tall man, and the hardness in Sam's features made him nod in compliance.

Bobby caught the man's eye. "My son is a good man, doc. He was trying to help and got knocked out. They think he did it, but he didn't. Please, can you help him?"

The doctor looked at Bobby and smiled. "Of course. To me, it shouldn't matter if he did, or didn't do it. I guess we're all upset at what's happened, and I let it color my judgment for a minute." He looked back to Dean. "Let me take a look at you, son, see what we can do, here"

It took forty five minutes for the doctor to examine and treat Dean's wounds, and when he left he'd reduced the swelling in Dean's eye, strapped his ribs and given him a shot of pain killers and antibiotics.

He left Sam with a bottle of high strength pain killers. "I can't leave these with your client, but if you can get them to him when he needs them, that would be great"

They thanked him and he left, and Dean gave Bobby and Sam a promising smile. "You wanna try that sandwich now?" Sam asked him. "I don't wanna leave it with the cops, and I don't know if they'll feed you"

Dean yawned, the pain killers were starting to take effect. "Yeah, I'm starved, dude. They've given me nothing since I got here. I only had some water from the tap just before you my 'dad' got here"

Bobby patted Dean's knee. "We should get your shirt on, too, if you feel up to it"

Sam helped Dean into a T-Shirt and flannel, then sat beside him on the cot. "We haven't found the girl yet. And we need to find why the demon was summoned"

Dean slowly chewed his sandwich, his one good eye barely open. "Just get me outta here, dude. Dunno how long I can last"

Sam looked at Bobby for help. "We're working on it, son." He handed Dean a soda. "They can keep you for forty eight hours, then they'll charge you. Unless Carin slips up and kills before then"

Dean shook his head. "She'll kill again, but she'll be more careful now." His words were slurring and he chewed slower. "This is where she wants me. Find the girl. She's the key"

Sam spread his hands. "Why Dean? Why is she the key?"

Dean stopped chewing altogether and rested his head on Sam's shoulder. Sam frowned. "Dean?"

He shook his brother, but Dean's head flopped forward. "Five more minutes" he mumbled, and Sam smiled.

"I guess the painkillers worked" He laid his brother on the bare cot, using a balled up sweater for pillow and covered him with the blanket. Bobby wrapped the left over sandwich up and sat it on the basin with the unopened soda.

The stood at the door of the cell and Sam pressed the call button for the cop. "I hate to leave him, Bobby. What if they beat on him again?"

Bobby sighed. "I think you've got them scared for now. But we gotta get him out. Soon"

Sam looked at his brother snoring through his swollen nose. He felt his heart melt at the sight.

"I hope you're right, Bobby"

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><p><strong>AN... Please review...it won't take you long, and you can do it anonymously!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N .. Trying to keep up...work is hard, life is hard...whinge all I want...who listens?**

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><p>The coroner, the rotund and jolly Dr Thelspa sat at his untidy desk and put his feet up with a sigh. It'd been a long day and he'd just about finished all his work. He might even get home before dark, for the first time since these deaths started.<p>

He heard the door to the morgue and turned, but no one was there. "Hello?" he called out.

Nothing.

He wasn't the sort of man to spook easily, but lately, things had been a bit off. The way the girls were killed, and posed, he'd never seen anything like this before. And he'd originally come from New York! He moved here to get away from the big city and big city crazies.

He was even more involved in this one, as his neighbor's daughter, Denise, was missing. She was a nice girl, had a rather tough start when her parents were killed when she was only a few months old, but his neighbor had adopted her and raised her as his own. She was a bright little thing, and Doc had, on occasion, brought her into work with him. Delightful child.

He didn't hold much hope for her. She'd been missing too long. None of the other girls had turned up alive, and now, a boy murdered, as well. This one by the very FBI agent he'd talked to! Sad business, all in all.

There it was again!

He turned and nearly fell off his chair. "Goodness me, you gave me such a fright! I thought I heard something, I didn't realize it was you!"

A low, evil chuckle made his bowels turn to water. "As it turns out, doc… it's _not_ me"

Dr Thelspa drew a breath to scream, but never managed to make a sound.

X

X

Robert was not a tall man, nor very smart. He wasn't rich, nor good looking, but he was a good provider. And he was a great dad. He knew this, with all his heart, and his children knew it, too. All seven of them. He sat with his wife Kathy and the children at the diner, every Wednesday they ate here, on pay day, as a special treat. For a small town it was a great little place, an indoor children's playground on one side, sports bar out the back, great food and great service.

There was another diner down the road, much cheaper, but that one was a greasy fried food place that they did not frequent. This one? Yeah, this one was good.

"Dad?" Robert's youngest boy called to his dad for the playground. "Dad!"

Robert looked over and saw the boy, Quentin, holding himself and jiggling up and down. "Dad, hurry!"

Kathy laughed. "Go on. You know three year olds can't hang on too long."

Robert jogged over and scooped up the little sandy haired fellow and whisked him off to the bathroom. Quentin giggled, then grabbed himself harder. "Hurry dad, hurry!"

The bathroom was empty, clean, and even had a 'little tyke' sized urinal. Robert helped his young son then relieved himself and both washed their hands. As they turned to leave the bathroom a strange noise caused Robert to turn, and black smoke hit him in the face. Quentin didn't scream, he just stood there and watched his dad. He stood there as the smoke forced itself into his father's mouth then watched his father's mouth snap shut behind the plume.

"Daddy?" the little boy's lips trembled. "Daddy, are you all right?"

His daddy looked down at him, his eyes completely black, but they changed back into their customary hazel so quickly that Quentin wasn't sure there was any black at all. "Daddy?"

His father turned and walked out of the bathroom; little Quentin running to keep up, tears starting to spill down his cheeks. Robert reached the table where his family were seated and passed them without looking. He went straight out of the door of the diner, his wife staring open mouthed, his son crying, and the rest of his family sitting in total confusion.

"Robert? Called Kathy, but he didn't turn or acknowledge her in any way, he just continued out.

X

X

X

X

X

X

Dean woke when the pain in his side was too great to sleep through, and he groaned and rubbed his good eye. "Bout time, sleeping beauty" the unfamiliar voice startled him, and he struggled to sit up and focus on who was speaking.

"Hobson?" he croaked, and realized there was another man, as well. "Crowney?"

The men were leaning against the closed cell door, both with their arms folded, although Hobson had the strap from a night stick looped over one wrist. Dean managed to get himself upright, one arm clutched around his broken ribs, his lips swollen and his bad eye again closed. "I'm really fucked now, aint I?"

Hobson grimaced, a lone tear escaped and rolled down his cheek. "How could you do that? How could you kill my baby sister?" He pushed from the cell door and stepped closer to Dean. "She was just a kid!"

Dean lifted one hand, palm open. "Man, you gotta believe me, I didn't do it." His voice was a raw croak. "I was trying to save her"

Crowney stepped up and king hit Dean, the blow throwing the injured man off the cot and slamming him into the floor. "Fucked? That's just the beginning, you monster"

Dean gasped, but had no time to react before Hobson started to kick his prone form. He tried to curl into a ball to protect his face and shattered ribs, but Crowney grabbed him around the neck and pulled him roughly to his feet.

Hobson took the night stick and held it up to strike the hunter as the other cop held him upright, his elbow almost cutting off Dean's air supply.

"Open your eyes. I want you to see how you die, mother fucker"

Dean lost consciousness after the fourth blow.

X

X

X

X

'What did he mean, the girl's the key?" Sam asked as he pushed open the diner door. They'd chosen a better place to eat dinner than the usual greasy fare that was the norm for towns like this one. The cries of the children hit the hunters as soon as they passed through the door, and Bobby placed a hand on Sam's arm and they inched a little closer to see what was going on.

"It was smoke!" a young boy was crying "The black smoke went into his mouth! I saw him eat it!" The boy's mother picked him up. She was speaking to the diner staff, they seemed to be friends.

"I don't know! He just walked out of here… he took Quentin to the bathroom, then walked straight passed us and outside. I sent Suzy and Michael after him, but only Michael came back, Suzy is still following him."

Bobby looked at Sam, and Sam nodded back. He put on his best sympathetic face, puppy dog eyes in full force and stepped forward.

"Gosh, that sounds strange! Does Suzy have a cell, or your husband? We can try ringing them and see if they're okay"

Kathy turned and looked at the tall man, ready to yell at him for interfering, but Sam's soft eyes and sincere concern shining on his face changed her mind.

"I've tried, but he won't answer. Suzy texted back to say she's still following him. I don't know what's wrong!"

Sam placed a comforting hand on her arm, and Quentin sprung into his grasp, instantly trusting this nice man. Sam held the child awkwardly, not sure what to do with him. "Um, if you give my dad their numbers, he can try from my phone. Maybe they'll answer us" He slipped his cell out and juggled it across to Bobby, Quentin had him round the neck in a vice like grip.

"Can you help my daddy?" he pleaded, and fresh tears started to spill down his face. Bobby gave him a supportive grin.

"Yeah. Sure. We'll try" Sam stammered. God, he wished Dean was here. He was always much better with kids. He peeled the boy off him and handed him back to his mother. "I'll call from out the front, I don't want him to hear all the…um..crying"

Kathy nodded and thanked him. The hunters moved outside, and Bobby gave him a smile. "You went a bit pied piper, there, boy"

"Yeah. I think the kid wet himself" Sam said, brushing his jacket. Bobby handed him the cell.

"I thought you guys ganked Carin's flunkies"

"We did. Well, two of them, anyway"

He rang Suzy's cell first. The phone answered on the first ring. "Hello?" the whisper came back.

"Um, hi, you don't know me, my name is Sam" he explained. "Your mom gave me your number, we're trying to help you with your dad"

A pause as Suzy digested this. "There's something wrong with my dad. Michael tried to talk to him and he pushed him over. I followed him here to this, um, garage, and he just went in there with the dance teacher, Karly or something, I'm not sure what her name is"

"Carin"

"Yeah, that's her" Suzy sounded like she was about to lose it.

"Look Suzy, we can come and help you. Can you tell me where the garage is?"

Suzy gave then the address, and a soft sob escaped her. Bobby leaned closer to hear, and Sam bent and put the phone on speaker.

"This is Sams…ah…dad, here, Suzy. Are there any windows? Can you see inside the garage at all?"

"Yeah, I can try. Hang on" they could her rustling through the shrubbery, then a quick intake of breath. "I saw inside."

"What did you see?" Sam prompted, and he heard her start to cry.

"They've got two girls in there. One's Rachel, I think the other girl is called Denise, I'm not sure. My dad was kissing Carin"

Sam and Bobby exchanged glances. "Hang on, I'll look again"

A squeal and the phone sounded like it was dropped, then picked up. "Suzy?" Suzy, are you okay?"

"Well hello, Mr FBI hunter guy" Carin's voice sounded triumphant. "How's your brother feeling?"

Sam held his finger to his mouth to warn Bobby not to speak. Bobby gave him a "Do I look like an idjit to you?" look right back.

"You were pretty clever, getting him arrested. Gotta hand you that one"

Carin laughed. "You think that was clever? You should see me now! I needed three girls, and I got them, all of them, and another helpful minion to boot! You won't need to worry about the police killing your brother, that satisfaction will be all mine after tomorrow night!"

"That's when you finish your ritual? Do you need a special time or just night fall?"

"Midnight is for more than just the witching hour, my dear Sam. Want to join me?"

Sam breathed deep. "Yeah. Sure. Just tell me where and when, and I'll be there"

Carin laughed. "You think I'm that stupid?" and she ended the call.

"Sure sounds pretty stupid to me" Bobby growled, and Sam turned to find the boy, Michael, waiting for them, his face distraught.

"Oh, Michael, we spoke to Suzy, she's fine, we're gonna go and see if we can find your dad. Tell your mom not to worry, okay?" Sam gave him a hopeful smile.

The boy nodded and went back into the diner. "Let's go play house with Miss Carin, then" Bobby said, and he wheeled off, Sam easily keeping pace.

X

Denise shifted, trying to find a more comfortable position. She'd been shackled to the radiator for hours, and her arm was killing her. Poor Rachel was bound and gagged in front of her; she was in an even more uncomfortable position. And the new girl…Suzy? She was sobbing quietly in the corner, her dad had duct taped her to a basin there.

Carin was drawing something on the floor. It was very detailed and consisted of three concentric circles with sigils throughout. Denise had never seen anything like it. Carin then bent and grabbed Rachel roughly, Denise was shocked when the diminutive dace teacher threw the girl over her shoulder without any real effort. The man, Suzy's dad, looked over at her.

"I will deal with this one, you get ready for tonight. I want everything ready, no more delays. Tomorrow, this all has to end!"

Suzy's dad smiled at her, his eyes black as coal. "As you wish. May I make a suggestion, though?"

Carin frowned, and hefted the sobbing girl to her other shoulder. "Okay, what?"

The man tried to look as humble as possible. "I think it might be better if you let me talk to the hunter from now on. He seems pretty good at getting information from you that could harm our plans"

She looked angry, but then nodded. "I guess you're right. Okay, yes, if he calls again, you talk to him"

She turned and opened the side door. "I won't be more than an hour. Make sure you keep those girls safe. I need them, and it's going to be too hard to replace them"

The man nodded, and Carin left with Rachel struggling and sobbing on her shoulder. Denise felt her heart beating way too fast with panic. These two must be the ones killing the girls. Her mom had told her they'd caught the guy that was doing it, he was in jail. The police must have it wrong. And who was this hunter that they were talking about? She hoped he was like the hunter in Red Riding Hood, and would come with his axe a swinging and save the day. She twisted again, trying to get into a more comfortable position.

"What are you doing?" the man barked at her. She shook her head, the gag preventing her reply. He bent and pulled the rag out of her mouth. "What's your deal, girl?" She seized the opportunity.

"I need to go to the bathroom. Now!"

He sneered at her. "Do it in your pants"

She wriggled harder. "It's number twos. My stomach hurts. I think you don't want me to do it in my pants"

He rolled his eyes and sighed. "There's a little bathroom in the corner. I'm gonna let you up, and lock you in there. When you're finished you yell to get out. Okay?"

She nodded, and he undid her.

"No funny business"

She let a little sob escape her. "I promise"

Robert led her over to the small room in the corner of the garage and pulled a couple of boxes from the door. The bathroom was old, but clean, it looked like it had rarely been used. Denise kept her head down, she pretended not to notice the small window above the hand basin.

"I'm locking you in. Any weird stuff and I crack your neck. Understand?"

She nodded. He locked the door behind her, and she gently climbed onto the basin and pushed the window outwards.

A large hand grabbed hers and she let out an involuntary cry. A man's face appeared, and he made a 'shoosh' gesture. She nodded.

A knock on the door nearly made her cry out again.

"Everything all right in there?"

She looked up at the man through the window, and he smiled at her.

"Yeah. I saw a spider. I stepped on it"

She heard Suzy's dad make a disgusted grunt and walk off.

The man put both hands through the small window and easily lifted Denise out, gently placing her beside him. He was very tall.

"Is there anyone else in there?" an older man in a wheelchair whispered to her.

She nodded. "There's Suzy and her dad. Miss Carin was here, she had Rachel Reddings all tied up, she took her about half an hour ago. I don't know where"

The tall man nodded. "You're Denise, right? You remember me? I helped you, at the office building?"

She remembered, and nodded. "You had another man with you"

He laid a hand on her shoulder. "My brother, Dean. I'm Sam. The police think he's the one that hurt those girls. You know that's not true, right?"

She nodded.

"Denise, we need you to wait here, hide, if you can, while we help Suzy. Can you do that?" the older man asked.

She nodded, her tears starting to well.

"Don't go anywhere. We won't be long"

She nodded again and crept to the back of the garage where several large shrubs offered enough coverage, and saw Sam wriggle through the bathroom window as the other man wheeled around to the front door.

They must've had some kind of signaling system, because she could hear Sam kick one door as the older man fired his gun at the lock of the second, one the front, one the bathroom, at the same time. She heard a brief struggle, then one of the men started to yell out in another language. After a few moment s a thick black smoke billowed one of the air vents, then all was quiet. As instructed, Denise stayed hidden. She could hear voices, Suzy sobbing, and Suzy's dad sounding very confused and upset.

After a while she heard footsteps, and Sam called out to her. She stood, frightened, and looked up at him. "Is Suzy okay?"

He gave her a strong, reassuring smile. "Suzy if fine, she's a little frightened, but she'll be okay. Her dad will be fine, too."

She sniffed a tear back. "Why would he do that? Why would he hurt his own daughter?"

Sam looked at the older man, but she couldn't tell what they were thinking.

Sam shrugged. "I think maybe someone drugged him"

Denise frowned, but didn't argue with that.

Sam handed a pair of glasses to her. "I found these on the bench. They're yours, aren't they?"

She wiped them on her blouse and put them on, and gave him a little smile.

The older man looked around. "I think we better get outta here. Robert might call the cops"

Sam nodded and held an arm out to Denise, and she grabbed him around the waist in an enthusiastic hug. "You saved me, again"

Sam looked to Bobby who was grinning at him. "Ah, Denise?"

She looked up, her tear streaked face glowing in admiration.

"Do you think you can let me go? We need to leave here, pretty quickly"

She nodded and stepped back, but grasped his arm with both her hands. He led her around the back of the garage to the side street as his cell rang.

He looked at the caller I.D. "Cops" he told Bobby, and answered the phone.

"Sam Elliot"

He listened, without speaking, his face growing red. "You will be hearing from me" he spoke coldly, and hung up the call.

Bobby raised his hands. "Well, spill, what happened?"

Sam met his gaze, tears filling his eyes. "It's Dean. Hobson and his partner beat him so bad that his heart stopped. They revived him, and rushed him to hospital"

Bobby gasped.

"It's not looking good." He started to tap his leg in nervous frustration, biting his lip. "_Bobby?"_ His plea was child like.

"Let's get to the car. Denise, is it okay if we take you with us? Sam's brother seemed to think you were pretty important to all of this, and I wanna find out why"

She nodded, still clinging to Sam's arm. Sam wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, and Bobby could see he was on the verge of losing it.

Trouble was he felt the same way.

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><p><strong>AN...this is the bit where I beg for reviews...on my knees...tears in my eyes...**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N...thanks to those that pointed out my little errors on the last chapter, I have revised it... the mistakes, not the story line. This chapter is more of a filler... we need to hash out a few things, and set up some others... so I hope it's up to standard. I have not had much sleep, either..**

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><p>Carin stood at the edge of the street watching the police cars surround the small garage she'd chosen as a main base, police interviewing the girl and her new flunky. Except it wasn't her flunky, it was his damn meat suit, and it was empty.<p>

A crunch of gravel behind her and she turned to see a young man, his eyes black. "What the hell happened here?"

He shook his head. "Hunters. They exorcised me, rescued the girls and copied the sigils from the floor. It's a disaster. How'd you go with the girl?"

Carin looked angry. "Hunters? Shit a brick. I have to take care of them or they're going to ruin everything!" She ran her fingers through her hair. "The girl? All went well. She screamed a lot...very annoying. But that part is done. We need two more girls. How in hell are we going to find girls now?"

She sighed. "I guess I'll just have to pick a couple from tonight's dance class."

He demon flunky gave a huff of a laugh. "Don't you think the cops will be waiting for you? I mean, once my old meat suit and his daughter tell them what happened…."

She whirled on him, eyes flashing in anger. "How dare you take that tone with me!"

He raised his hands and took a step back. "I'm sorry…I meant no disrespect…..please, it won't happen again!"

She placed her hands on her hips and regarded him. "You're very lucky I'm down on time, or you'd be history by now" she growled. "As it is, you're the only helper I have, so you'll have to do. But mark my words, speak to me like that again and you _will_ be history!"

She folded her arms. "What am I going to do now?"

The young man gave her a smile. "I chose this boy for a good reason. He is considered quite handsome and popular. I think he'll have no trouble coaxing a couple of young girls away from their families."

Carin smiled at him. "Good thinking. Very good. Let's get to it, then!"

X

X

X

X

Sam ran to the nurse's station at breakneck speed, nearly knocking an elderly lady from her wheelchair as he whirled passed. Bobby followed at a slower pace, Denise pushing his chair.

The nurse pointed the direction and Sam took off again, leaving Bobby to ask the nurse all over again where Dean was located. She frowned at him. "I'm his father. Please, can we see him?"

She frowned at the girl, but didn't ask who she was. "Like I told the other man, the police are guarding him. He's in intensive care, down the hall to the right. Please see the charge nurse first"

Blobby thanked her and Denise pushed his chair for him. "You don't need to do that, girly" Bobby smiled back at her.

She shrugged. "I figured if I push the chair they'll just assume I'm your daughter or something, and not ask"

Bobby nodded. "Smart thinking!" The pulled up to the charge nurse station, but could see the police standing at the door to intensive care, and also Sam though the small window on the door, head hung, face grim.

Bobby nodded at Denise to indicate she should push him through.

"What's going on here?" he asked of the police at the door as they blocked his way.

"Who are you?" the cop asked back, hands on hips.

"I'm the father. You are going to let us through to see my son, or there will be hell to pay, boy"

The cop looked over at his partner, who nodded. "Let them though. D.A. said full cooperation"

Sam didn't turn at they moved closer to Dean's bed.

The heard monitor beat a steady rhythm with the breathing machine, and the pale, black and purple bruised face lying still on the hospital pillow was unrecognisable. If it were not for the hair cut Bobby was sure he would have not realised it was Dean at all, so swollen and disfigured that his features were beyond the delicate handsomeness of the young man.

He reached up and touched Sam's elbow. The tall man looked at Bobby, as tears freely ran down his face. "I promised him I'd get him out, Bobby. I promised"

Bobby felt all the pain in that voice, all the angst in the expression. He nodded, nothing he could say would make anything any better.

He placed his hand over Dean's, but there was no response. The monitor showing his brain waves was blank. He frowned, and turned to the nurse. "Why is there no readings here?" he asked her.

She smiled softly at him and turned on the screen. The lines showed barely any movement at all. She turned it off again, and moved away without speaking. Bobby looked back at Sam.

"I don't care what it says. He's going to be okay" he swiped angrily at the tears running down his nose. "He's _gotta_ be"

Bobby nodded. "Sure. Of course he will" and he turned back to Dean. The man just lay there, a machine breathing for him, as pale as death.

A young doctor came over, the same nurse as before at his side. "HI, I'm Dr Thelspa, I'm looking after your son"

Sam frowned. "Dr Thelspa? Same as the coroner?"

Bobby picked up on that straight away. "Was?"

The young doctor gave him a sad smile. "My uncle passed away earlier today. Looks like a heart attack. It's very sad, but not unexpected. He had a very bad heart, it was a congenital condition. One of the reasons he was so short. Had a tough life, but he loved every minute of it"

A look passed between the tall man and the one in the wheelchair, but they didn't say anything.

After a moment Bobby looked back at the Doctor. "Our condolences. What can you tell me about my son?"

The doctor lifted the clip chart he'd been carrying. "Well, for a start, we don't know his name"

"Dean. His name is Dean" Sam quietly replied.

"Surname?"

"Elkins" Bobby answered. "I'm Bobby" he shook the doctor's hand.

"Okay Mr Elkins…Bobby." He looked at the chart. "Your son took quite a beating. Multiple fractures and contusions. His kidneys suffered extreme trauma, his spleen has ruptured, at the moment we're controlling that with medication, and his right lung is severely bruised by his fractured ribs. His eye socket and cheek are fractured, he has swollen sinus and contusions to the oesophagus and his collar bone is broken in two places. He has green stick fractures to both arms as well as multiple bruising, and his right tibia has a hairline fracture. That's not our main concern, though" He looked up at the tall man, and the patient's father.

"His brain suffered extreme trauma and is causing intracranial swelling at an alarming rate. If it continues this way it will impact on the sides of his skull, causing irreparable damage. In short, it will kill him"

"Is there anything you can do to keep the swelling down?" Sam asked in barely more than a whisper.

The Doctor looked grim. "You can pray"

X

X

X

X

"Natural causes? Seriously?" Mike, the D.A., was almost yelling down the phone. "Did you see his face?"

He listened for a moment. "Yeah, I know they can twist in pain, but this guy…he looked like he'd been scared to death. The fear..okay…okay, fine" and he hung up and turned to face the sergeant.

"Have you ever seen anything like that? Doc Thelspa was …_man_…" he waved his hand, searching for the word. "I have seen dead bodies, those that died in extreme pain. I'm telling you, Lou, something scared Doc to death. I wish I hadda just sent cops to interview him, this was…this was…"

Lou nodded. "I been sergeant here for fourteen years, I aint seen nothing like it."

Mike grabbed a coffee and one for Lou. "Where have you put Hobson and Crowney?"

Lou grimaced. "I've put them in a holding room. What are you gonna do with them?"

The D.A. sighed. "Hell if I know. I'm gonna have to charge them, you know that. They beat the man to death, Lou! Thank god CPR worked. His hard assed lawyer is going to go through us like a dose of salts, I'm telling you. As if we didn't have enough trouble."

Lou shrugged. "Can you blame them? This douche bag stabbed that little girl in the eye"

Mike perched on the edge of the desk and loosened his tie. "I took a job in a smallish town hoping for a quieter life. But these last few days? Give me big city any day!"

He folded his arms, coffee mug still in one hand. "I can't help but wonder if there is another murderer, though. Our guy was good for it, but after that story from that guy and his daughter, and the dance teacher, this is getting pretty jumbled up. Funny that the one man that coulda cleared him, or verified our cops story, is dead."

"He still could be connected"

"What if he's not? What if he really is just some Joe Concerned Citizen who tried to find out what was going on? Poor bastard is coleslaw now. Hospital said he'll probably never wake up, and if he does, he'll be not much above amoeba level for I.Q."

Lou swiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Yeah, that sucks. But really, what was he doing in that office building? He shoulda called the police! He would be fine now, if he just did a 911 call"

Mike raised his brows. "Well, that's the angle I'm going to take with his lawyer. I'm expecting to hear from him any minute"

Lou stood and stretched. "I'm thinking you might need a bullet proof vest for that one"

Mike gave a little laugh. "And a boxing helmet. Guy strikes me as a bit of a hot head"

"Have you spoken to the guy and his daughter about the dance teacher?" Mike asked the cop.

"Guy says he was drugged, can't remember anything. Girl was pretty broken up, but she confirmed that the dance teacher was there, so was Denise and another girl, Rachel, then as far as she could tell dance teacher takes Rachel. Someone broke down the door and rescued them. Her dad passes out on the floor, when he came to he took the duct tape off her eyes and they were the only two of them left. Not much to go on…except Rachel and Denise are still missing"

Mike frowned. "Who rescued them?"

Lou shrugged."I was thinking our mysterious partner of our cabbage John Doe. Oh, we have a name, did I tell you?"

"Of the partner, or the John Doe?"

Lou smiled. "John. Or Dean. Dean Elkins. We have no confirmation of a partner, or a vigilante, or even if there is anyone else. The girl was a mess, and if the father was drugged he could've caused enough ruckus. I mean, who saved them, if there was only her and her dad and another girl there? Saved them from who, or what? I'm telling you, Mike, this whole thing is FUBAR, as far as I'm concerned."

The D.A. looked thoughtful. "There's something going on here that we're not getting. Okay, I'm willing to think our guy…Dean?" Lou nodded. "He was working alone, but why? What was he after? He comes to town, not related to anyone or anything, and starts to investigate murders just for the hell of it? That just doesn't add up." He stood up and started to pace.

"He manages to follow them to an abandoned office building, one man, mind you, while we have the whole police force from two towns on this case, and we can't find anything, then he almost brings the killer or killers down while we get what is now, I'm starting to believe, a very suspicious anonymous tip."

He stopped and turned to the cop. "I really need to find out what he knows"

"Shame you can't ask him" Lou replied. "But maybe the lawyer knows something. He seemed pretty close to his client"

"Yeah, you're right. I'm expecting him to break down the doors any minute. In the meantime, I want you to pull security camera footage on the morgue, up until Doc's death. I wanna know what scared him to death"

"Sure thing. I already got an APB out on the dance teacher. And the guy and his daughter will be in for an interview as soon as the hospital gives them the all clear. Am I missing anything?"

Mike chewed his bottom lip. "Motive. If the dance teacher is involved, then why? And was she working with our guy Dean? Maybe she _is_ his mysterious partner."

"Maybe" Lou answered. "And maybe she was our anonymous tipster. I got Heidi, your assistant, researching her, seeing if we can find any motives" he said, and turned to pick up a ringing phone.

He spoke briefly and hung up. "Well, looks like Dean Elkins is cleared. We got another dead girl, same M.O."

"Denise?"

"Red head. Looks like Rachel. I'm telling you, Mike, FUBAR. Complete FUBAR"

Mike groaned. "I'm hearing you, buddy. I'm hearing you"

X

X

X

X

Bobby turned to Sam. "We still got a job to finish here. Are you with me, boy?"

Sam didn't respond. Bobby knew he had to get Sam out of the hospital, at least for a short while, he could see the young hunter delving deep into depression over his brother.

There was nothing they could do to help Dean now, and they needed to stop the young girls getting killed.

"Boy, are you with me?"

Sam turned to him, his face nothing but despair. "Seriously, Bobby? Why do I care what happens to them?"

Bobby frowned. "You don't mean that. You think Dean would leave these girls to die?" he turned to Denise. "You think you would leave _her_ to die?"

Denise looked startled, and turned her brown eyes up to Sam.

"Your brother thinks she's the key to this mess. We caint ask him why, so you gotta figure it out. No one knows him better than you. If anyone can put together his thought process, it's you, Sam. So I gotta ask you again. Are you with me?"

Sam's face was scrunched, trying to hold back his tears. He drummed one hand against his leg, barley keeping control.

"Are you with me?" Bobby asked again, very softly.

Sam nodded, and swiped his nose on his sleeve. He looked over at his brother, the machines softly beeping and thrumming, then leant in and kissed his forehead.

He looked back at Bobby and nodded his head again. "Yeah, I'm with you"

The three silently left the hospital, Sam turning back one last time to look at his brother, then, head bowed, he followed the other two out.

X

X

X

X

The two girls sat on the bench under an old elm tree, this part of the high school was peaceful and a little isolated. They were both pretty girls, no more than sixteen, hair in pig tails, cheerleader outfits and bobby socks, freckles and bangs.

They were sharing their lunch, quietly, more sombre than most kids their age should be. The recent deaths had shocked the school children, and the cautious and harsh warnings from their elders beating the very real risks into their awareness.

"Hey, guys, wotcha got there?" a male voice called out, and the girls turned to see a sandy haired youth climb the waist high fence to join them.

The girls started, wide eyed. "It's Joel West!" whispered one.

"I know, silly!" the other hissed back. "_Everyone_ knows who Joel West is!"

The handsome young man walked up to them and stood, looking down at the two, hip cocked, arms by his side, his soft mouth tilted in a bright grin. "So what's happening?"

"Joel, you know you're not allowed in the high school" admonished one of the girls, before they both burst into giggles.

He put his hands on his hips. "And why would that be?"

"Um, maybe coz you're a college student"

"And a man"

"And a quarterback"

Both girls giggled again, clutching each other and shyly stealing glances at the man who suddenly seemed interested in them.

"Well, my pretty ladies, this man would like to take you both for a soda. If you would be so kind as to accompany me to the drug store?"

The girls looked at each other, faces more serious, before turning back to the fellow in front of them. "We can't"

"It's not that we don't want to!"

"Oh, we want to! Any other day we'd come, but…"

They smiled sadly. "With everything that's been going on…."

"We're not allowed to go anywhere without our parents, or a grown up"

"Like a teacher"

"Yeah, like a teacher"

Joel smiled at them, trying to hide his frustration. "But ladies…I _am_ a grown up!" He squatted down in front of them, his smile dazzling, turning his bright blue eyes from one to the other. "You said it yourself, I'm a college man. You know nothing will happen to you when you're with me!"

The girls still frowned, not totally convinced.

Joel placed a hand each on the girls' knees, causing another rush of giggles. "I _really_ think you'll be fine with me. What can I do to convince you?"

They looked at each other again, and nodded. "Okay, we'll come, but we can only stay for a bit. We'd need to get back before lunch is over"

Joel made his smile even brighter. "You have my word, ladies, as a college man, that you will be safe and sound, and back before lunch break ends!"

The girls giggled again, pigtails flying. Joel grabbed their hands, and they walked as a threesome for a short distance.

"Um, Joel? This isn't the way to the drug store"

He clasped their hands tighter. "I forgot my wallet. We just need to call past my mom's to get it"

"Your mom lives in a factory?" the girl started to sound worried.

"Of course not! She's waiting for me, inside, we'll just grab it and we'll be off. You trust me, don't you?"

A moment of worry, then both girls nodded. "Yes, we do, we trust you"

Joel's eyes turned black, but as they were all facing ahead the girls did not see this. "Good. That's very good" he smiled, and led them into a factory that had been closed for renovations. "My mom will be so pleased to meet you!"

The side door to the factory swung open, and there stood the dance teacher.

"Miss Carin's your mom? I didn't think she was old enough"

"She's not" Joel's voice had turned dark, and both the girls stopped as panic set in. He clutched their hands even tighter as he dragged them through the small door. They struggled, but had no hope against the strength of a demon filled quarterback.

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><p><strong>AN...so...um... wotcha think?**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N...mmm... not much to say...except THANK YOU for my reviews! warms this black, cold heart, they do!**

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><p>Mike leaned over Heidi, his assistant, as she scrolled through the video from the hallway at the morgue. There was not much happening, a few hospital staff in and out, cleaner washed the floor. The footage blurred, then a stream of static broke through the middle of it, just as a figure dressed in black walked into view.<p>

"Can you clean that up?" Mike asked.

Heidi laughed. "This isn't a TV show boss, what you see is pretty much what you get!"

"Well, scroll back and forth, you can slow it down, right? Try and find a bit that's got a clearer shot of that guy"

Heidi scrolled forward, slowly, as the figure walked closer to the screen. For a very brief moment the picture cleared, just as the figure looked up at the camera.

"Well, that's odd" Heidi pressed pause. "Why would he be here?"

"What's even odder is his eyes" Mike pointed to the screen. "They're completely black"

Heidi scrunched her nose. "Lou's got pale blue eyes, hasn't he?"

Mike chewed his lip. "Yeah. Yeah, he does"

X

X

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X

The nurse held the unconscious mans leg up as the doctor tested his reflexes. The doctor tested both legs, then he did it again. He frowned, and took a sharp instrument from his pocket and ran it along the man's sole.

The guy flinched and weakly moved his leg, trying to pull it away.

"I thought he was in a coma" the nurse said, as surprised as the doctor.

"He is. Turn on the ECG monitor"

The monitor sprung to life, the wriggly colored lines jumping over the screen in a seemingly abstract pattern.

"I'll be dammed" the doctor looked shocked. "Constitution of a rhinoceros! The swelling must've hindered the earlier readings." He opened the one eyelid that he could and shone a light into the man's eyeball. He frowned, and forced the other eyelid open enough to do the same.

"Pupils equal and reactive. Hmm. What's his name?"

The nurse looked at the chart. "It's Dean. Dean Elkins"

The doctor rubbed his knuckles roughly on the man's chest. "Mr Elkins!" He rubbed again. "Dean, can you hear me? Dean, wake up!"

Very weakly, the man lifted his arm and tired to bat away the doctor. He moaned, and tried to turn over, falling back onto the bed after barely a moment's effort.

"Amazing. Better ring his father and give him the good news. Nice to do that, for a change. Gotta be honest, this is one guy I never thought we'd be calling the family to give good news!"

The nurse smiled and tucked the sheet around Dean and smoothed a hand over his forehead. "Yeah, I was sure I'd be getting an organ donor form signed by the end of the day" she agreed. "I'll call them now"

X

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Carin laughed at the girls' distress, they were crying as Joel duct taped their eyes, they were already bound and gagged. "Should've listened to your teachers" she laughed, and the girls sobbed louder.

Joel stood and faced his leader. "What do you need me to do now?"

She pointed to the spray paint on the bench. "I need to replace the sigils and signs, pass me the paint. We have to get this right, I don't have much time"

Joel handed Carin the fluorescent marker paint. "You can only do this tonight?"

She nodded. "Otherwise I'm locked in this meat suit for a whole year. Makes me vulnerable. Can't have that"

"No" Joel agreed. "I'm assuming the same thing will happen to me?"

Carin started to draw the circles on the floor. "Most certainly. Only a lot more painful"

Joel frowned. "I didn't know that when I signed on"

Carin stood and scowled at him. "It's not much of a risk, considering the rewards you'll receive when we complete this ritual. Surely, being elevated to a higher level demon, with all the perks and privileges that go with that, is worth the tiny risk of not completing the ritual. And we_ will_ complete the ritual. Nothing's gonna stop us now!"

Joel hefted a second can of paint. "Not with the two of us working on it" he agreed, and he helped prepare the ritual site.

X

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X

Sam helped Bobby with the wheel chair as Denise opened the motel room door. She giggled and turned to the hunters. "After everything that's happened, here I am going into a motel with two strange men"

Bobby gave her a strained smile. "Could be worse. You could be going into a garage with a dance teacher"

Denise stopped giggling. "Yeah, you're right" She closed the door behind the hunters.

Sam sat heavily on the bed as Bobby turned to the bespectacled girl. "So missy, we gotta figure out what makes you so important to all this"

Sam looked up, his eyes dull. "My brother is sure you're the key. We have to find out why"

She shrugged and plopped herself on the faded motel carpet. I don't even know your brother. I only saw him twice"

Sam tipped his head a little. "Twice? You saw him when we rescued you from the old office building. When did you see him before that?"

She smiled at him. "At the diner. Me and the other girls were there before school. He was kinda hot, for an old guy, that's how I noticed him. He was buying, like, heaps of food and stuff."

Sam ran his hand through his hair. "He didn't talk to you?"

Denise shook her head. "I think he was listening to us, though. He kinda leaned forward a bit, like. You know, like you're trying to see or hear better"

Sam chewed his lip and his brow furrowed. Bobby just sat there and watched him, not wanting to interrupt his thought process. The boy seemed to be onto something, based on his expression.

"Did you, ah, have anything with you? Like on the table, that he coulda seen?"

Denise nodded. "I would have had my books, for school. We all would've. There were three of us"

Sam nodded, feeling sure he was on the right track. "My brother must've seen something that got him thinking. Can you remember what books you had? Maybe there was something written on one, or a picture, something he didn't think was important til later?"

Denise rolled back on her but a little, thinking. "There would've been my home room diary. It has a picture of me and Doc, he was my neighbour, and my dad, and Uncle Lou, he's the police sergeant"

"Huh" Sam slid back a little on the bed. "Uncle Lou, is he your dad's brother?"

She shook her head, mousy hair flying with the gesture. "No, I just call him Uncle Lou. He's doc's best friend. Or at least, he was" she looked sad. "I can't believe Doc's dead"

Sam leaned forward again. "There's got to be more than that. It's a shame we don't have your book"

Denise looked up, a little brighter. "I don't have the book, but I have the same photo, in my wallet!"

She jumped up and pulled a school I.D. folder from her pocket, it was in a plastic photo wallet. She flicked through until she found the right photo and handed it to Sam. He looked at it closely, and smiled. He then started flicking through the other photos.

"AH, Denise, who are these people?" he turned the wallet and pointed to an old photo of a couple holding a baby.

"Oh, they're my real parents. They died when I was really little, and my mom and dad, I mean, the ones I have now, they adopted me"

"Huh" Sam handed the wallet to Bobby.

"Your parents, I mean your biological parents, they were from the next town?"

She nodded. "Why?"

"Denise, are you of Native American descent?"

She looked down, and circled her sneaker on the carpet. "Yeah. I used to get teased when I was little. You know, by other kids"

"This locket, the one on your mom's neck in this picture, do you have it? You're wearing it in the photo with Doc and Uncle Lou"

Bobby smiled. He knew Sam would find what Dean had already figured out.

"I never take it off" Denise pulled a silver chain from under her school blouse, the amulet shining in the motel lights. "I don't have much from my real mom, so it's kinda special, to me"

"You have no idea how special that amulet is" Bobby told her, and handed the photo wallet back to the girl. His cell started to ring and he pulled it out of his top pocket. He looked at Sam, then back at the phone.

Sam closed his eyes. "It's the hospital, isn't it?"

Bobby just stared at the caller I.D.

Sam opened his eyes. "Answer it"

Bobby felt his breath grow shallow. "Elkins" he barely whispered.

He listened, and closed his eyes, running his hand up through his beard, and over his head.

Sam's leg started to jiggle, and his eyes began to well up.

"Thank you nurse. Yes. Yes. Of course. If you could call me….thank you again"

Bobby looked at Sam, the younger man looking like he was about to explode. "It's good news, Sam. They think Dean's gonna be okay. He's still in a light coma, but he's reacting to stimuli and the ECG is showing strong brain waves."

Sam jumped up and wiped his eyes, then turned and ran to the bathroom. The sounds of him throwing up soon followed, and Bobby looked at the girl. She offered him a sad smile, you didn't have to be a genius to know that the tension was being released along with the man's stomach contents.

Water ran, then Sam came back into the room drying his face with a towel. "Sorry" he offered, a shy smile twisting his features. Bobby smiled back at him.

"So, Sam, back to business. Dean caint tell us yet what he was thinking, and you seemed to be on something there. Can you pick up your train of thought again?"

Sam threw the towel on the bed and sat facing Denise. "I think Dean was right. I think Denise knows a bit more than she realises."

The girl frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Okay. Um. Denise…you used to get teased, right?"

She nodded, confusion settling on her features.

"You didn't have many friends, did you? You weren't a cheerleader, or in a dance group?"

Denise frowned.

"And now, you're more popular. I mean, you said you were in the diner with two girlfriends, yeah?"

A tear tickled down the girl's cheek.

"Denise, what did you do?" Sam gave her his most sympathetic look.

"Nothing, really. I mean, nothing that has anything to do with what's happening here" She took the photo wallet and pulled out a folded piece of paper, unfolded it and handed it to Sam.

He looked at it, his face grim, and handed it to Bobby.

"Where'd you find this spell?"

Denise had started to cry a little harder. "There was an old book. My dad gave me a box of stuff that used to belong to my mom, my real mom, I mean, and there was a book in there." She was sobbing freely, her eyes streaming tears.

" And you know, I wasn't popular. I wasn't pretty enough, or smart enough, or even nice enough. Everyone either teased me or ignored me. When I found that spell" she paused to wipe her running nose on her sleeve. "I thought, what the hell. I can try this. It'll either work, or whatever"

Bobby sighed. "You were wearing the amulet when you performed the spell, weren't you?"

She nodded.

Sam stood and grabbed his computer and sat at the table while it fired up. "From what I researched, back when the demon was here before, a white haired girl turned up to offer her services. They agreed and a deal was struck. Then, when they didn't want to give up their daughters, they summoned another demon, this one was a granter of wishes as well, and that demon was the one that gave the girls their amulets."

The computer settled and Sam started typing. "Okay, with the info you gave me, Bobby, as far as I can figure out, the summoner gets possessed by the demon, or if that person can't be possessed then the next closest individual becomes the 'holder of the spirit'. Denise's spell was the summoning of the demon that gave the girls the amulets and stopped the killings way back then."

Sam turned to the sobbing teenager. "Denise, who was with you when you did the spell?"

Denise stood up and leaned against the hunter for comfort. "No one. I told you, I had no friends."

Sam nodded and tried to shift away from her, but she just followed his movement. "Was there anyone in a nearby room? Outside your window?"

She thought for a moment. "I have the back room on the house, it opens out onto the patio. My dad, doc and Uncle Lou were outside. Uncle Lou was barbequing, right near my window, the others were sitting on the garden seat, under the tree"

Bobby wheeled closer. "Sergeant Lou seems the most likely culprit. Funny. He didn't strike me as possessed. "

Sam sighed. "We weren't looking for demons then. Had other things on our minds" He leaned back on the chair. "You thinking maybe that's why Doc died?"

Bobby shrugged. "All I know is, we got Carin Crossroad, and now her nemesis. And something going down tonight…I think I have something on that"

He grabbed his duffle and pulled out an ancient looking book, several scraps of paper marking passages flapping as he flipped it open. He read for a little while, then let out a whistle.

"This is not good. If Carin Crossroads can complete her ritual by midnight tonight, she becomes almost invincible"

Sam leaned forward. "And if she doesn't?"

Bobby looked back at the book on his lap. "She becomes harnessed to her meat suit for a year. Making her vulnerable to the usual demon killing devices." He flipped a page. "I got nuthin' on her nemesis. Nuthin at all"

Sam tapped a few keys, and scrolled pages. "Nor have I"

Denise slipped her arm across Sam's shoulders, and Bobby grinned at the near panic look on Sam's face.

"Ah, Denise? You think you could, maybe, go sit on the bed?"

She leaned in closer. "Why?"

Sam peeled her arm off his shoulders. "Ah, because I'm like more than ten years older than you, and this is really uncomfortable"

Denise nodded, her face turning bright red, and she sat on the edge of the bed. Bobby laughed and shook his head. "Don't worry, girl, we're getting to the bottom of this. We'll have you outta here soon"

Sam looked at his watch, and back at the computer. "We got no clue where to find Carin's new hideout. And I don't think we'll be able to go to the police. Plus, we need to get Denise home, her family must be going crazy by now."

Bobby scratched his head. "Well, if Sergeant Lou is the arch enemy of Carin, I gotta wonder if he knows anything that can help us. Enemy of thine enemy, and all that"

Denise jumped up. "Maybe I can help with that! I mean, he's been my uncle Lou since…since before I can remember!"

Sam shook his head. "We don't want to put you in any more danger. You've been through enough, these last two days"

Denise smiled. "I know, right? It's more fun than I've had…ever!"

Bobby rolled his eyes. "Teenagers" he huffed.

"You still got the amulet, right?" Sam asked her.

Bobby shook his head. "That only protects her from possession, and by being sacrificed by Carin. It doesn't keep her from harm."

"Yeah, about that. How come Carin had her as one of the victims? She had to know Denise was protected by the amulet"

Denise nodded. "I think I know this one. She wanted to keep me away from you guys. I mean, I've figured it out. She said she wanted me away from the hunters. You guys are them, right? Hunters? But not Little Red Riding Hood style, you hunt weird stuff, right?"

Bobby gave her a little smile. "Yeah, we hunt weird stuff"

Sam turned to face the other two. "Dean was right. She _is_ the key. Denise is the one that that's gonna help us bring this all together"

Denise smiled and jumped up, throwing her arms around Sam's neck. "I'll help you any way you need!"

Sam tugged her arms off. "Well, you can start by sitting back down"

Denise's lip dropped.

"We just need to figure a few things out first, okay?"

"Well" Bobby added "We still no closer to finding out who struck the deal with Carin in the first place. They're the ones that started this whole mess"

Denise looked down at her shoes. "I think I can help you with that one, too"

X

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Mike pulled his Saab into the police station. His offices were only two blocks down, but he couldn't be bothered walking. He needed time to think, and he had to figure out what to say to Lou.

Surely he'd realised Mike had gone through the security footage by now, and knew that Lou was the last person to see Doc. And those eyes…those creepy black eyes. They weren't black when Mike was talking to him earlier, but still…

And even the way the tape went weird when Lou was in shot. Something hinkey was up, and he'd have to be clever to figure this one out. He wished that guy, Dean, was able to talk. He had a feeling that he knew a whole lot more than Mike did about this.

Mike locked his car and strolled into the police station, trying to act as normal as possible. The desk clerk let him through reception, and he was actually surprised to see Lou in his office. He strolled over, careful not to act too casual, making him look all the more suspicious.

"How'd you go with the security tape? Jells told me you had it sent over to your office?" Lou asked him.

Mike sat on the edge of the desk. "Not good. We see someone walk in, but the tape goes all fuzzy, no way to figure out who it is. Even if it's male or female."

Lou frowned. "What do you mean _fuzzy_?"

"White noise, it's like there's interference, right at the crucial moment."

"Seem suspicious to you?"

"Not really" Mike shrugged. "I mean, bit hard to interfere with a tape like that. I'm thinking just a camera glitch." He stood and leaned against the door frame. "How you coping with Doc's death? You guys were best friends, right?"

Lou turned to face him front on, and frowned. He waved one hand, and the door slammed shut, making Mike jump with the sudden noise.

"You know something's up, don't you, Mike?" Lou's eyes turned black.

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><p><strong>AN...we on a down hill slide now... are you happy Dean's gonna be okay?**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N...I'm so sorry for the delay, for the first time I am really struggling with a story...guess I placed too many expectations on mysef...I just want Branchsuper to be happy...and those others of you reading, as well!**

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><p>"Denise? What do you know?" Sam reached over and tipped the girl's chin up. "What can you tell us?"<p>

She blinked at him, her eyelashes all glued with her tears. "I didn't do anything wrong" she whispered.

"It's not my fault"

Bobby wheeled a little closer. "Denise…you gotta tell us. We can't stop these girls from dying unless you tell us what you did"

Denise burst into a renewed crying fit. "You have to understand, I didn't mean anything! I didn't even know what was happening until you just figured it all out now!"

Sam frowned. "Did you try another spell?"

She sat back on the bed, and Sam grabbed her a handful of tissues from the courtesy box on the table.

"You know the box of stuff I told you about from my mom and dad?"

"Yeah"

"Well, there was other spells in the box. One of them was about stopping your enemies from hurting you, and I was getting teased, and sometimes I'd get beat up, you know, always getting bullied, so I tried it, but I didn't think anything happened, I mean, why would I? How would I know that really worked, or anyone would be hurt?"

"It's all right. Just tell me what happened when you did the spell" Sam spoke softly, his eyes in full puppy dog mode.

She looked so mournful when she met his gaze. "I'm so sorry"

"It's okay Denise, just tell me"

"Miss Carin was just, like, there. She said she could make it all better, make all the teasing and bullying go away. I thought she was just fooling with me, you know? And then when she grabbed me, and hurt me, I knew that she wasn't going to make all the bad stuff go away, coz here she was causing it."

"But the bullying stopped, didn't it?"

She sniffed and nodded. "I didn't realise at first, then coz I'd done the other spell I thought that was what was making people like me. It wasn't til just now… I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

Sam nodded. "So, you made the first deal, then you summoned the second demon?" He turned to Bobby. "Do you think Dean figured all of this out?"

Bobby shrugged. "Hell if I know. Probably he was only up to the summoning bit, never got a chance to get much further. He kinda got distracted. I'm thinking we really need to get to see this police sergeant. We only got till midnight to stop Miss Carin and her invincibility spell"

"Do you have any kind of reversal spell for Denise's deal?"

Bobby shook his head. "Same as all deals, no spell to get you out of them. We need to gank the dance teacher, and stop her ritual. And I'm thinking we need to do this soon"

Sam nodded. "What about Denise?"

Bobby thought for a minute. "May as well keep her with us. Don't know if we need her or not, I'd rather have her with us if we do!"

"So you wanna go to the police station" Sam said, standing and reaching for his jacket. "Can we call passed the hospital first?"

"He's not gonna know that you're there, Sam"

Sam gave him a determined look. "You don't know that. We're talking about Dean. Let's go"

X

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Mike held up his hands in a surrender gesture. "Lou…what's happening?"

Lou smiled, his eyes still obsidian. "Lou aint home right now, Mikey boy. I got me a nice police chief suit, and I like wearing him."

Mike felt his heart beat speed up as his adrenaline kicked in. "Who are you?"

The Lou thing smiled, the expression the same, but subtly different, to the real Lou. "We got us a whole new ball game, here, Mikey, and a brand new pitcher on the mound. I'm the stuff nightmares are made of!"

"You killed Doc"

Lou-thing frowned. "Not on purpose. He had a bad ticker, and he got all worked up when he saw I wasn't his old pal Lou. Bit of a pill, actually, I went there for his, shall we say, assistance?"

"The girls? Are you killing them?"

Lou thing smiled again. "Not me, boy, not me! That would be my rival, and pretty much the whole reason I'm here. I want to stop them, I _need_ to stop them, and I have to do it before midnight. Now, you've figured out that I'm not the man I used to be, but I need to know, Mikey boy, if you can help me stop the thing that's doing all the killings. Yah wanna do that, pal? You wanna be a hero?"

Mike slid slowly across the door, one hand behind him. When he felt the door knob he tired to swiftly open it and leave, but the handle wouldn't budge.

"Oh, my boy, you disappoint me. I was hoping you'd co operate. You see, this thing I have to do, it's rather difficult, and I kinda need a little help. If you're gonna try weaselling out on me, well, that could be a problem."

The Lou-thing raised his hand, and Mike felt himself involuntarily moving towards the desk. A chair swung around, and he found himself plopped into it, then it spun back to face the police sergeant.

"That's better. More friendly-like. We are friends, aren't we, Mikey boy?"

The D.A. breathed in, trying to steady his racing heart. "Lou is my friend"

"Outstanding! I thought so, but just wanted to know for sure. This helps my little endeavour; I can't tell you how much!" He leaned forward, the black eyes glinting in the office lights.

"What say we strike a little deal, my good man. That is, after all, my forte"

Mike frowned. "What kind of deal?"

Lou grinned at him. "Well, Mikey, my deal is this: you help me, and when I've destroyed the villainous monster that's wiping out all of your virgins, I let your best friend Lou here go, free and clear, totally unharmed. What do you think of that?"

Mike thought for a moment. He was a good lawyer, clever, he knew there was usually a catch…but he couldn't see a way out of this dilemma. "Totally unharmed?"

Lou-thing gave a belly laugh that was so unlike the real Lou. "Well, he may feel a little bit raped…. And I can't vouch for what ever fight we have to have to kill my enemy, but yes, I will ensure that I do not harm him. This is a generous offer, normally I would tear him apart when I leave! Also, I'll clear up the bit of plaque in his arteries, extend his life a little, as a bonus. Sound like a fair deal?"

Mike chewed at the inside of his cheek. "And me? You won't harm me?"

"A shrewd bargainer! Marvellous! Yes, rest assured, I will not harm you, either. So, do we have a deal?"

"Who is killing the girls? This enemy of yours, are they like you?"

Lou leaned back, the smile gone. "Exactly like me. For centuries we've been battling for a senior position, and each time one of us gets ahead, the other one brings them down. I'd like to end this battle, once and for all, and you, my boy, are going to help me. If we have a deal?"

Mike didn't know what else to do. "Yeah, I guess so. What do I have to do, sign on the bottom line? Write my name in blood?"

Lou grinned again, his eyes turning back to their pale baby blue. "Oh, it's so much more delicious than that!"

X

"Um, Paul?" the desk clerk called to the cop who was filling in paperwork. "Can you see that?"

Paul looked up, and across to where the clerk was pointing, at the glass walled office of the sergeant.

"You mean the boss kissing Mike? Yeah. I can. Excuse me while I go wash my eyeballs with boiling water"

"Think I'll join you….."

X

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Sam waited for the nurse to finish checking his brother's vitals and then leaned in, placing a hand gently on Dean's forehead. "I don't know if you can hear me, Dean, but I wanted to tell you sorry. I'm sorry I didn't get you out of that cell, that I let this happen to you."

He felt tears start to well in his eyes. He turned and pulled the vinyl chair closer so he could sit with his face pressed up against Dean's ear.

"You'd never let me say this to you if you were awake, but I can't tell you how much I wish I'd worked harder to get you out. I guess I'm rusty on my law studies, I should have known more, I should've been smarter. Oh, I know it's been years, but I know…I know I should have gotten you out…"

He sniffed and wiped his eyes on his sleeve. "You just gotta be all right. You gotta get better, and help me. I need you to help me beat this Lucifer thing, I don't know if I can do it without you. I know I'm rambling, but man, I just need you to wake up and be okay. Can you do that, Dean? Just be okay. Please"

He laid his head on the pillow beside his brother, his tears flowing freely.

Dean didn't move, didn't react in any way. The nurse came back with a tissue and gave him a gentle smile.

"He's looking much better, really" she assured him. "The doctor gave him some pretty strong pain killers and they've probably knocked him out, so he's sleeping, he's not in a deep coma like before." She looked up at the monitor. "Hm"

Sam sat up and wiped his face on the tissue. "Hm, what? What's wrong?"

The nurse patted his hand, and pointed to the paper readout. "See, here. That spike? I think he knows you're here, he may have even heard your voice. I told you, he's really much, much better"

Sam gave her a genuine smile. "Thank you, nurse. _Really_"

She smiled back at him and wrote on Dean's chart before leaving them alone again. Bobby and Denise came in, the girl wheeling the chair as before.

"How's he doing?" Bobby softly asked, and Sam filled him in.

The older hunter patted the injured man's hand. "That's my boy" he whispered.

Once again the ECG spiked. Bobby noticed and smiled. "You just concentrate on getting better, and we'll take care of our other little problem"

Dean's hand moved, and Sam reached over and clasped it in his own. "It's okay, bro, we figured out what you were trying to tell us with the girl. It's all good. You just rest, and recover."

This time there was no reaction. "Guess he used up all his energy" Bobby gave Sam a smile. "We gotta go, boy. Time's a wasting"

Sam tried to let go of Dean's hand, and gasped when he felt his brother weakly hang on. "I'm here Dean. I'm here. We gotta go, but I'll be back as soon as this is all over. Okay? And the nurses, dude, the nurses are pretty hot. You just lie back and let them take care of you, okay?"

He squeezed Dean's hand, and this time his brother let go. Sam leaned forward and kissed Dean on the forehead. He knew there'd be hell to pay for that later, if Dean remembered it, but right now he didn't care. Bobby leaned in and gently patted the hunter's shoulder, and they left.

This time Sam didn't turn around. He knew Dean was going to be all right, and he could focus on the hunt ahead of him.

X

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X

X

Carin smiled at the young man her demon helper was wearing. "Your flesh suit is rather handsome" She walked around him, viewing him form all angles. "I like what I see"

Joel turned around and smiled back. "When this is over, maybe we can play a bit"

Carin shook her head. "Chances are these meat suits won't take the strain." She leaned in, her mouth almost touching the young man's. "Maybe we should play now"

Joel leaned back, just a little. "Is that wise? The police will be looking for these girls soon, and you have the hunters searching for you. Do we really have time to..play?"

Carin tugged at his button down. "We have an hour to kill. We can sit around and torture the girls…tempting, I know…or we can play. Wouldn't you like to play with me, just a little?"

Joel smiled. He leaned in, his lips smothering hers, his strong hands pulling her closer, crushing her pelvis against him. He could feel the boy's body he was wearing respond to the dance teacher's firm figure, and she responded to his body the same. He swiftly stripped her of her clothes, the quiet, gagged sobs of the two girls a sorrowful backdrop to the cold passion of the demons.

X

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X

Sam drove the short distance to the police station in silence. Bobby sat beside him, Denise in the back seat. Suddenly she jumped up, giving both the hunters a start.

"That's Uncle Lou!" she squealed, pointing to a Saab driving in the opposite direction.

"D.A. Mike is with him, as well" Bobby commented."Maybe we should see where they're going"

Sam frowned but turned the car, following the D.A's charcoal colored car at a discreet distance. "You think they're going to see if Dean's waking up?"

"Probably not" replied Bobby as the car turned towards the industrial side of town, away from the hospital. "What d'ya think they're up to?"

Sam frowned. "Nothing good. Most of the buildings here are empty. The one we rescued Denise from is only a block or so over"

They hung back as the Saab slowed, Uncle Lou had his window open, and he seemed to be sniffing the air. After a few moments he closed his window and the car pulled into the lot of a factory closed for renovations.

"Looks like they found what they were searching for" Sam said, and parked Dean's car away from eyesight of the Saab occupants. He turned to Bobby. "Can Denise help you out with the chair? I'm gonna go in and see what's happening" and he sprung from the car before Bobby could protest.

"Great" muttered Bobby, not at all keen on letting a grabby sixteen year old help him out of the car.

Denise leaned forward. "Do you want me to get your chair out of the trunk? I can unfold it, you can get yourself into it, right?"

Bobby nodded and tried to smile at her. "That'd be great. Thanks"

X

X

Sam had the colt in his waistband, the knife beside it, and he stealthily approached the car, stepping back into a doorway as the D.A. and cop got out.

"How do you know they're here?" he heard Mike ask.

"Don't worry, Mikey boy, my kind have a sixth sense for this kind of thing. Besides, I can smell her a mile away!"

So, he figured Lou had revealed himself to the D.A., what he wasn't sure of was why the D.A. was helping him. He turned as Bobby wheeled up beside him.

"Made the girl stay at the car" Bobby whispered to him.

"She didn't listen" Denise smiled as she bounced up beside them.

"Girly, this is very dangerous. You need to go back to the car" hissed Bobby.

"Yeah, I should, but I started this, and I need to help you finish it. Maybe I'm the key, after all, like your brother told you"

Sam gave Bobby a short nod. "She's right, we may need her" He turned to Denise. "You stay behind us, though. We are professionals; we know what we're doing. That amulet will only save you from getting possessed, nothing else. You hear me? Stay behind"

She nodded and made a 'cross my heart' gesture.

They turned back to watch the D.A. and the police sergeant as they scoped out the building, peering through the small window to the side of the door.

They saw Lou shake his head, then kick in the door with Mike following him. Sam looked briefly at Bobby, then followed, hunched, to the window of the garage.

Looking in he saw Carin and her latest flunkie, caught in what he could only describe as a 'compromising position". The D.A. and his companion were staring at them, them Lou laughed, a hearty, belly depth roar that made Sam's skin crawl.

"Well, aint this just peachy?" he mused, then turned and looked at the small window. "Come in, hunter boy, the more the merrier!"

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><p><strong>AN...heading down the exit now...not far to go. As always, reviews are the stuff of life... to a writer...**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N... I'm tired, not much sleep,so creative juices not flowing...**

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><p>He felt funny. Well, not funny…weird? Yeah, weird. His mom had come in and talked to him a couple of times, and his dad patted his hand, but he must've been asleep, or almost asleep, coz he couldn't open his eyes, and he couldn't talk to them.<p>

He couldn't even move. His mom held his hand, and he tried to hold on, he tried so hard, but she just kissed him on the head and left.

Now he was alone. And he felt weird. He couldn't think right, and he couldn't remember anything much.

He remembered his dad touching his hand.

He remembered his mom kissing him on the head.

Then …he tried to draw a breath, and all of a sudden he was choking, gagging, there was something in his throat.

Someone grabbed him, told him to cough, the thing in his throat scraped out, and they wiped his mouth and called him 'Mr Elkins'.

Funny. He wasn't Mr Elkins.

Now he felt weird again.

He felt someone holding his hand.

No, they were holding his wrist.

"Mom?" he croaked, though he didn't think he made much of a sound. Whoever was there let go of his hand and touched his forehead.

"Dean?" the soft voice called him. "Dean. Can you open your eye? Can you try to do that for me?"

He moaned a little and tried to open his eyes. They felt glued shut. He tried again and one of his eyes cracked, just a little. The lights were too bright, and he quickly shut it again.

"That's good, Dean, very good. Let me just turn off your overhead…." a click, and the light became more subdued. "Try again for me, Dean. Open your eye"

With great effort his eye slowly opened, and he struggled to focus. A figure moved closer, and he squinted until he made out a pretty young nurse.

"There you go, you can see me!" She wiped his forehead and cheeks with a warm, moist cloth. "How are you feeling, Mr Elkins?"

Dean frowned. "Dean" he croaked. Who was this Mr Elkins?

She leaned forward. "I know you think you're talking, but I can't hear you, Mr Elkins"

He took a deep breath. "Dean. M' name's Dean"

She moved to his side and checked his IV. "Nice to meet you, Dean. My name is Nicole; I've been looking after you. Do you know where you are?"

He coughed weakly, then turned his only open eye to try and take in his surroundings. He tried to sit up, but found his arms would barely move, and when they did, they hurt like hell.

"Hospital"

She smiled at him, perfect white teeth surrounded by full, pink lips. "That's right, honey. Best you don't try and sit up, you're still very, very weak, and you have quite a few injuries. Do you know what happened to you?"

He thought, hard. What did he remember? Mom holding his hand…but no, that wasn't right. Mom was gone.

Many years gone.

Dad was gone.

Why did he think they'd been here? He'd felt protected, comforted…someone had told him everything would be all right.

That could not have been his mom, or his dad.

Why was he here?

He couldn't remember what happened. Had he been driving?

Was Sam driving?

Sam!

Where was Sam?

He looked at her, his face in panic. "Sam?" he rasped, trying again to sit up, nearly succeeding this time.

"Where's Sam?"

She gently placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him. "Mr Elkins...Dean, you need to calm down. You've suffered some very severe injuries, and I'll have too sedate you if you don't lie back"

He rolled his blood red eye to her, his face one of complete angst, but he gave in and settled back into the hard bed.

"Where's m' brother? Is he…" he coughed again, his lungs hurting. "Accident?"

The nurse walked to the other side of the bed and took his pulse again. "Car accident, you mean?"

Dean gave a tiny nod.

"No, there was no car accident. Your father and another man were here earlier with a young girl. I don't know who the other man was, but he's really, really tall. Like, freakishly tall"

Dean exhaled, his face calmed.

"That's your brother Sam?"

He nodded.

"Well, he's fine. Your dad, he's in a wheelchair, the girl, your sister? She was fine, too"

Dean didn't know who the girl was, but didn't say anything. He stifled a yawn.

"I think you've about overdone it now. Time to get some rest"

He raised his brow. "Happened?" he whispered.

She smiled softly at him. "You were hurt. You've got quite a few fractures and contusions. But you'll be ok"

He grabbed her hand, and she looked down at the bruised and cut fingers, his grip as weak as a child's.

He struggled to talk, his throat was raw, and he couldn't focus very well.

"Happened?"

She gave him a strained smile back. "It's not really for me to say. You kinda, um" she frowned. "You got beat up. Pretty bad. We didn't think you'd make it. But now, you look like you're going to be fine."

"Who?" he rasped, and coughed again.

Nicole patted his hand and tucked his blanket around him. "I think maybe your family will talk to you about that. You need to sleep now, rest up for when they come visit later. You don't want to fall asleep during their visit now, do you?"

Dean squirmed up a little again. "No. Sleep"

Nicole frowned at him.

Dean lifted his arms, just a little. "Hurts"

She nodded. "You have fractures in both arms. They don't need plaster, but we had to bandage them pretty tight, and they both have splints. Is that what's hurting? Or is it just aching from the break?"

Dean frowned. "Hurts. Everywhere"

"I think I'll get you some pain killers, I'll go speak to your doctor, okay?"

Dean grunted. He shook his head a little and wriggled to get comfortable. "No. Sleep"

She wiped his brow. "Okay, hun, I'll just have a word to the doctor for you"

The doctor was close by and was shocked at his patient being not only awake, but coherent. Hurrying over, he grabbed the chart and looked down at the patient. Hs breathing was slow, rhythmic, he seemed asleep.

The doctor pressed a stethoscope against the man's chest and the one eye sprung open.

"No. Sleep" he whispered.

The doctor smiled. "Hello, Mr Elkins"

"Dean" the raspy voice returned.

"Dean. Nice to see you awake. Something I was not sure was going to happen"

Dean gave him the barest glimmer of a smile. "Stubborn"

The doctor laughed. "Yes, and that's probably what has got you this far. I just want to ask you a couple of questions, okay? Just to make sure you're feeling all right."

Dean gave a half a smile, all he could manage.

"What is your name?"

"Dean"

"Good. Good. What day is it, Dean?"

He frowned. What day was it? He shook his head.

"That's okay. You probably lost a little time. Do you know who the president is?"

Dean nodded. "Morgan Freeman"

That made the doctor laugh. "Just a couple more. Do you know where you are?"

"Day Spa" Doc gave him a smile. "Hospital"

"Do you remember what happened, why you're here?"

Dean closed his eye, struggled to remember. He shook his head.

"That's no problem. It'll come back when you least expect. Would you like something for the pain?"

The bruised and broken man frowned. "Don't wanna sleep" and coughed weakly.

Doc nodded at the nurse, who understood his request. "That's okay Mr…um...Dean. I'll just give you a mild pain killer, and you can lay there awake. Sound like a plan you can work with?"

Dean smiled as best as he could, and nurse Nicole injected the pain killers into his I.V. Within moments the one blood red eye softly closed, and Dean drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

"He didn't want to sleep" the nurse commented.

"They never do" Doc replied "But he's better for it. Might be able to hold a conversation when his family visits him"

Nicole wiped down his face again. "I wonder what he looks like under all these bruises and swelling" she murmured.

X

X

X

X

Sam gave Bobby a frown and pushed open the factory door. Bobby turned to Denise, and indicated with a glance she was to stay there. She nodded, her face pale with fear.

"No good skulking around outside like a peeping tom, boy! Come in, come in" Lou bellowed.

Sam slowly walked in, Bobby following him. Carin and her companion were hurriedly dressing, and Sam could see the two girls taped, gagged and chained off to the side.

"You could've knocked" Carin complained, and ran her hands through her hair to untangle the mess.

"But then I would have missed out on such a delightful show!" Lou pulled a battered chair around and straddled it. "I'd say the jig is up about now, don't you think?"

Carin snarled at him. "I can just leave here and finish my ritual somewhere else. By the time you caught up with me, it'd be too late"

Sam realised Mike was staring at him, and when he made eye contact he saw fear and confusion there. So, not a demon, then. A demon would not look so confused. He was sure Mike was wondering if he was really a lawyer, or not.

"You silly girl. Never was one for the big thinking, were you?" He swung his arm, taking in Mike and the hunters in his gesture. "I've come with reinforcements, and there wouldn't be enough time to find any more girls. Especially when you're working alone"

Carin frowned. "Alone? I'm not alone, I have help" she turned to Joel, just as Lou made a fist, his eyes black. Joel started to shake, smoke coming from his eyes and ears, and he crashed to the ground, still smouldering.

Carin's face turned red. "Damn you! You never play fair! I am so sick and tired of always having you chase after me!" She stamped her foot. "Can't you just accept that I'm better at this, and let me be? I've had enough, I'm outta here" she tipped her head back, mouth opened, but nothing happened.

Her jaw snapped shut with an audible slick and she glared at Lou. "What did you do to me?"

Lou laughed again. "You simpering fool! You are bound to your human until you are released through your ritual, or you die. Every other time you've completed your ritual. This time, honey, you die!"

Sam moved back oh so slowly, his arm hovering behind his back. His foot touched the wheelchair, and he lifted the back of his jacket to show Bobby his weapons.

Desperate not to draw attention Bobby leaned forward and slipped the colt from the young man's waistband and stashed it beside him in the wheelchair. Sam stood still, his arm behind his back, ready to grab the knife.

"You can't kill me until after midnight, and I'll make sure I'm out of here before then. You've only got humans helping you, and you don't even have the summoner, so, I think I'll be just fine, then, thank you!" Carin was starting to look very agitated, her face still red.

Mike stepped forward. "I have no idea what's going on here, but I can see you two have history. How about I just take the girls, and let you two fight this out without any distractions?"

"Sit down, Mike" Lou answered in a low, ominous voice, and Mike plopped down onto the concrete floor as if pushed. "When I'm ready for you, you will know"

Sam rocked back on his heels, poised for action, but well aware he needed to be silent for now, see how it was all going to play out.

Carin was stepping from foot to foot, becoming increasingly agitated. Her features seemed different, somehow, more animal like, and when she raised a hand to run it through her hair Sam noticed that her fingers had become long claws. He glanced down to Bobby who nodded without making eye contact; he had noticed the change as well.

"This time we will fight to the death, my dear one. No more centuries of tussling back and forth, trying to see who will win our father's favour in the end. This time, you will see, will be the last. I have made sure this is so" Lou turned to face the hunters. "I have brought you hunters. They, in turn, have brought the summoner. Is that not right, my companions?" he looked Sam in the eye, his smile had also turned more animalistic, his teeth looked pointed.

Mike looked shocked.

Sam didn't answer.

Lou clapped his hands, and Denise opened the garage door and entered, her face white with panic.

Sam offered her a reassuring smile, but her eyes were wild and her breathing was fast. Tears started to pour down her checks and she tried to reach out for Sam, but kept walking up to Carin, her movements jerking like a puppet.

"Here is your summoner, dear. How are you feeling about everything now?"

Carin growled, the sound low and threatening. She circled Denise who was sobbing quietly as she stood still and stiff as a tin soldier.

"You brought the summoner her, to me? I could end her now, and end your hold on me, you evil thing"

Lou laughed at her, the harsh, hyena like sound hurting the humans' ears. "You think you could hurt your summoner? I think not, little one."

Carin stopped circling and tipped her head, cat like, at Lou. "Why is that? My summoner is under my power, my control"

Lou shook his head. "Not this time, my feeble minded fool. You see, you do not control her, for she is also my summoner. _ I_ have the power, this time"

Bobby pulled out the colt, and in one swift movement put a bullet through Carin's head. She fell backwards, and Lou let out a belly laugh.

"Oh, my dear hunter, if it was that easy, I would have taken the gun and shot her myself."

Carin's foot twitched and she sat up. "That hurt"

Bobby started, open mouthed. "Damn" he muttered, and Sam placed a hand on the wheelchair, ready to pull him to safety.

Carin turned back to Lou. "Is that it? Is that your grand plan?"

Lou laughed again. "You wish, my dear….you wish". He clapped his hands, and both he, Denise and Carin disappeared.

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><p><strong>AN...working on the next chapter...not far to go now!**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N... I'm rewatching season four. Geez, Sam's hair style and Dean's voice have changed!**

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><p>Sam stumbled back in surprise, only his grip on Bobby's chair keeping him from falling.<p>

"What the hell just happened?" Bobby gasped. Mike stood and brushed the dust off his pants.

"I'm thinking the same thing" he said, and turned to Sam. "I believe you owe me an explanation, Elliot"

Sam frowned at him. "It's Sam. First, let's get the hell outta here before they come back. You wanna help me get these girls free?"

Mike turned to the two sobbing teenagers, and he and Sam bent as one to release them. He peeled the tape from the girls and watched with hidden surprise as the 'lawyer' quickly picked the locks from the shackles.

Bobby turned and grabbed the door handle, but the door would not budge. "Ah, I was afraid of this" he growled and spun to Sam. "Check the other exits. I think we're on lock down"

Sam tried a door at the back, but it, too, was stuck fast, even to his booted kick. Mike grabbed the battered chair Lou had been using and tried to take out the small window, and found it was stuck fast. He looked to the hunters, his confusion growing. "Why can't we open the doors?"

Sam grimaced. How much to tell this man? How much would he believe, given what he had just seen?

"Someone needs to tell me what's going on here, or I swear I'm going to explode."

Sam looked down at Bobby, and then at the two girls, holding each other and still sobbing. "Well, I guess you figured out I'm not a lawyer"

Mike frowned. "That's a given. What about the guy we had in custody?"

Sam's face showed immediate pain when his brother was mentioned. "He's my brother, Dean, and he was trying to stop those…ah…things… that were here. Until your guys nearly beat him to death"

"He's your brother?"

Sam nodded, his eyes shining with anger and pain.

"Aw, man, I'm sorry. But we thought…you can see how we thought.. I'm sorry"

Sam shook his head and swiped a sleeve over his eyes. "It's _done_. Don't expect me to understand. He never fought back, he never resisted, and he told you he was innocent the whole time. No one listened, and now, more girls died, and he nearly…" his voice broke and he turned to Bobby.

"You small town law guys gotta learn to listen a bit more" Bobby growled.

Mike turned the chair and sat. "Okay, I'm listenening, start at the start, and give me the whole deal. Pull no punches, I've already seen my best friend taken over by one of those things, and the dance teacher, so you better give me everything. In detail"

Sam found another chair and scraped it over, turning it around to straddle it. Bobby caught his eye and nodded towards the crying girls.

Sam shrugged, and looked at Mike. Mike held his palms up in defeat, then called out to them.

"Um, young ladies? There's a bathroom in the corner, if you want to clean up. These guys, they'll tell me what's the deal here, and then we'll figure a way to get out. Is that okay? Sounds all right, for now?"

The girls nodded and moved as one, clinging together all the way to the dingy bathroom.

Mike turned back to the hunters. "Okay. Out with it"

X

X

X

X

Denise fell to the ground. It was dark, so dark she couldn't tell where she was, only that it was cold, and very, very quiet.

She felt around. She was on carpet. It was kinda sticky. She rolled onto her hands and knees and crawled until her head bumped into a wall. She felt her way up, and along, until her hand touched a switch. She flicked it and banks of fluorescent lights blinked on, revealing her surroundings to be a movie theatre.

She had been crawling down an aisle; the sticky carpet had stained her hands and knees with grey gunk. She wiped her hands absently on her skirt and turned around. How had she gotten here? She figured uncle Lou and Miss Carin had something to do with it, but _where_ was she?

Her town held no theatre.

Nor did any of the neighbouring towns.

"Hello?" she called out, her voice echoing back in a hollow parody of her situation.

"Is anyone here?"

She started to cry again. What was she going to do? She should have stayed at the car like Sam told her, and she would've been safe now.

A small rustling sound caught her attention and she spun around.

"Hello? Is anyone there?"

Silence.

She stood still, hoping to hear the sound again.

There it was. She didn't call out this time, she just followed the sound, it led her to the back of the theatre, behind a row of seats.

"Argh" she squealed at the sight of a rat foraging through a pile of candy wrappers. The vile creature just looked at her, then continued its search for scraps.

She burst into a renewed fit of tears and sat on the dirty floor.

"My life sucks" she sobbed. The rat continued its search for food, ignoring the crying child.

After a few moments she realised there was a breeze tickling at the sides of her neck. It must be coming from somewhere. Maybe, it was coming from somewhere she could escape from.

Denise pulled herself up and put her finger in her mouth, immediately regretting the movement when the gross, sticky taste of the floor flooded her senses.

She held the wet appendage out and traced the direction the breeze was coming from. She walked slowly forward, finger outstretched, and came to a doorway hidden in a recessed vestibule. The breeze whistled around it, and when she tried the knob, the door opeoned.

Holding her breath she swung the door wide, the lights were not on so she opened the door wider to allow the theatre light to spill through.

She was in a large foyer, an empty concession stand to one side, steps, ticket counter, seating here and there. She tip toed towards the ticket box, a light switch on the outside soon flooded the dreary foyer with cold blue illumination.

She looked around, the place seemed deserted, there was dust everywhere, no candy on the shelves, and here and there were painters drop cloths.

Spider webs haunted some of the corners, and a soft scurrying signalled the presence of more rodents.

Denise pulled open the door to the ticket office, and smiled when she saw a telephone. Picking up the receiver she felt an enormous sense of relief when a dial tone purred in her ear. Reaching into her blouse she pulled out the card Sam had given her earlier listing his cell phone, and dialled.

X

X

X

X

Dean moaned as harsh hands prodded at him. "Five more minutes" he wheezed and tried to turn over.

"I think not, my boyo!" a booming voice shocked him completely awake. He forced his swollen eyes open to see the police sergeant staring down at him.

"What?" he gasped, his brain not quite catching up with events, the pain killers fogging his thoughts beyond his injuries.

"Time to go, hunter boy! I'm needing the services of your brother, and I want to make sure he's as motivated as he can possibly be." The sergeant lifted the sheets to peer underneath.

"My my my, you have a lot of tubes attached to you. Is that one in your thingy? Gross. Well, it will have to come out. Nurse!"

The pretty nurse, Nicole, came hurrying over. "Lou? What's going on?" she asked him, her brow knitted in confusion.

"I need you to detach this boy, and I need it done post haste!"

Nicole shook her head. "Oh, I don't think so, Lou. He just woke from a coma, his injuries are substantial. What if I go and get Doc Thelspa for you?"

Lou growled, a deep, frightening sound, and his eyes turned black. "What if you do as I tell you, little girl, before I crush the life out of you?"

Her hand flew to her mouth, fear widening her eyes. "What…who..?"

"Just do as you're told, girly, before I become angry. Lets me just say it would be wise not to let me get angry"

Dean tried to wriggle out of the bed, he reached over to pull out his I.V. but the effort was more than he could make, and he fell back, exhausted and dizzy, into his pillow.

Nicole was shaking and her face had gone white. She hesitantly stepped over to the hunter, and started to remove the drips and heart monitor leads. She gave Dean a reassuring smile that belied the panic in her face. "Need to remove your..um..catheter. Just breathe deeply, okay?"

She worked quickly, avoiding the gaze of the police sergeant, her hands shaking with fear, her smile plastered on her face like a death mask.

Finally she looked up at the demon. "This could kill him, Lou. At least take a portable oxygen bottle, I can hook it up in seconds"

Lou rolled his eyes, but acquiesced.

Nicole hooked Dean's oxygen tube to the small tank, and gave him a tear filled smile. "I'm sorry. I don't know what's going on here" she whispered, her back to Lou. "I'll call for help as soon as I can"

Dean offered her up what her thought was a reassuring smile, and Nicole patted his hand. She turned back to Lou.

"Shall I get a wheelchair?" she asked the policeman, and he smiled at her, a sight that sent chills down her spine.

"No need, my good woman, no need." He clapped his hands once, and both he and her patient disappeared. She put both hands to her chest, momentarily afraid she would throw up.

She ran to the nurses station and grabbed the charge nurse.

"What is it? What happened?" the charge nurse saw the panic and distress in her young nurse. Nicole looked at her, then her eyes rolled back in her head and she crashed to the ground in a cold faint.

X

X

X

X

X

Sam jumped as his cell rang, and he hooked it out of his pocket. The caller I.D. was unfamiliar to him, he gave Bobby a confused glance.

"Hello? Denise…where are you?" He listened for a while. "Stay by this phone, I'll call you back" he told her and looked up to his audience, Bobby, Mike, and the two girls.

"Why don't we call for help?" Mike asked him. "Your phone is clearly working, Lou made me leave mine at the police station"

Bobby shrugged. "Who you gonna call for this one? You only get some other poor bugger mixed up, someone who's not trained to handle these kinda things, and we got a bigger body count"

Sam stood and started to pace, not realising he was channelling his big brother. "We can't call anyone, but we gotta figure a way out of here. Denise is in an old theatre, the caller I.D. is not even in this state, so we aren't getting there any time soon."

Mike scratched his head. "All of this" he swept his hand, looking for the right words "craziness…before today, none of it was real. Men killed men. There were no monsters, albeit human ones, and demons were the stuff of over eager evangelists." He, too, stood, and matched Sam's pacing, his thoughts racing, his disbelief suspended.

Sam stopped, his face creased in concentration. "Bobby, the banishing ritual. We needed the summoner, didn't we? Can you remember anything else?"

Bobby gave him a grin. "Don't need to" He leaned forward and pulled a folded wad of papers from his back pocket. "I got it all right here" he handed them to Sam. "Don't know what good they're gonna do you, we aint got no summoner, and we aint got half the stuff we need. It's in the car."

Sam was still in think mode. He looked up, above the factory roller door, were smaller louvered windows, the kind that let the air circulate. They weren't shut.

He looked at the two distressed girls. "Look, um, girls, we can use your help." They looked at each other, still clinging together like lost woodland babies.

"We need to get some stuff from the car so we can stop these things from killing more girls like you. Those windows up there are too small for me or Mike to get through, but I could lift you up and you could wriggle through them. Could you do that?"

Both girls shook their heads. Sam squatted down in front of them. "You wouldn't have to come back in. I can hang a rope through the window, you tie the bag on that and then go. Doesn't sound too bad, does it?"

They looked at each other, then back at the hunter. They nodded their heads.

Sam quickly turned, Mike by his side, and they climbed up on their chairs and started to remove the glass louvers. When they had enough out, Mike ran to get the rope that he'd seen earlier and handed it to Sam, who then turned and opened his arms to the girls.

The timidly walked over to him. "Here's the keys. There's a green duffle bag in the trunk, just get that, put the keys in and tie it to the rope, then you girls run as fast as you can away from here, okay?" The girls nodded.

"It's the big black car, just around the corner" He added, and started to lift the first girl up.

Mike touched the girl's shoulder. "You wouldn't just run off, would you, and leave us here, trapped, with those things that were gonna kill you?"

They made eye contact with each other, and for the first time one of them spoke. "We promise"

"Just as long as we don't have to come back in here" the other added.

"No" Mike assured them "We don't want you back here. But you do need to do this for us, it will help us stop those monsters, okay?"

The girls nodded, and Sam lifted them up to the window sill and tied the rope around one. "I'll let you down first, then you untie the rope, understand?"

One by one he lowered them, and waited, standing on the chair, for the girls to return.

Bobby wheeled his chair around. "You guys know there's no guarantee that they didn't just skedaddle once their feet hit the ground"

Mike frowned. "You always this optimistic?"

Bobby scowled. "Son, I'm practically euphoric"

The rope moved, and Sam stood on his toes to peer out through the window. "Good, great, you girls run home now, don't stop to talk to anyone" he called out, and the other two men in the factory could hear their steps as they ran away without even listening to Sam.

He pulled the bag back through the small window, struggling a little to get it through, then jumpled down off the chair.

"Just what do you have in mind, there, boy?" Bobby asked him. "We aint got no Denise, nor any demons that we can banish"

Sam was squatting down with the bag, pulling out various items he needed. "We don't have them right now, but I'm thinking at least one demon is gonna come back for us. Had to be a reason they locked us in, and you heard Mike, he made a deal. No way he just gets let off without doing anything"

Mike looked surprised. "What do you mean? I might be let off without doing anything, you don't know that"

Bobby shook his head. "Aint never happened yet, and we been dealing with demons for a long time"

Mike went pale. "What's gonna happen to me?"

Bobby turned to him. "Did you offer your soul?"

Mike shook his head. "No. I just promised I'd help stop the other...one.. and in return he would let me and Lou go unharmed. I mean, that doesn't sound bad, does it? You think there's a catch? You do, don't you. You think there's a catch"

Bobby raised his brows. "Boy, there's always a catch. You don't ever make deals with demons"

Sam checked his things, then picked up a hand full of the items and walked them over to the bench. "Bobby, can you take care of this? I need to ring Denise back and fill her in"

Bobby wheeled over. "Okay, Mr D.A., get yer ass over here and give me a hand" bobby insgtructed, and Sam hit the dial button on his cell.

Denise answered before the phone rang twice. "Oh my god, I thought you'd forgotten me!" she squealed. Sam held the phone back from his ear a little.

"Are you still alone, Denise?"

"Yes, and I tried the front door, I can't get out. I even tried breaking the windows, but they were like, bullet proof or whatever, I couldn't do it even with a chair"

"Okay. Look. I need to tell you something, and you have to listen very carefully. We have a plan, but it all revolves around you. Are you ready?"

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><p><strong>AN...Maybe just one more...two at the most...**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N... bedridden, sick as a dog for most of the week. Finally feel better enough to plop the laptop on my knee...hope my illness isn't reflected in the quality of this chapter...**

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><p>Mike helped Sam drag the tarp wrapped body of the young man, Joel, to the corner of the factory. "He's so young. How do you handle this side of your…what do you call it, a job? A calling?"<p>

Bobby scrubbed a hand through his beard. "How 'bout a curse?"

Mike brushed his pants off and pulled his chair over to the disabled hunter. "How'd you get cursed, then"

Sam joined them, scraping his chair noisily over the concrete floor. "Everyone gets pulled into this in a different way. Usually someone you know, or love, gets taken. Or you get shoved into it without asking. Like you"

Mike shook his head. "I'm not going to start hunting"

Sam gave him a sad smile. "None of us are. Or were. I even tried to get out, for a while. This life, it just drags you back."

Mike shrugged. "What has been seen cannot be unseen" he ran his hand through his hair. "This is gonna follow me, isn't it?"

Bobby slapped his knee. "Aw, I wouldn't worry about it. We'll probably all get killed before this thing is through"

"Wow, that sure is comforting."

"Just statin' the facts"

The three men felt the hair on their arms rise as the ozone in the air changed, the static prickling their skin. "What…?"

Lou burst into life in front of them. "Gentlemen!" he boomed. "It's time to get this show on the road!"

Sam and Bobby sat there unmoved, their faces almost bored, Mike's eyes were wide in fear and shock.

"Where are the little virgins?"

Sam flicked his eyes up to the window, and Lou slapped his thigh and boomed his hearty laugh. "Very good, boyo, very good! We don't need them, my nemesis required them for her ritual, and as we will be stopping that, the girls are free to go!" he rubbed his hands together. "Let's be off, then"

"Why?" Sam asked.

Lou looked confused. "Why, what?"

"Why should we help you?"

The policeman frowned. "Mike made a deal to help me"

Bobby turned his chair to faced the demon straight on. "That was Mike"

Lou looked dumbfounded. "But…surely you want to kill the creature that is stripping this town of their maidens, don't you?"

Sam folded his arms. "Why should we help you? We can kill her all on our own"

"No no no, this will never do! She is far too powerful for any one of us to overtake her! We must work together to destroy her, once and for all!"

Sam looked to Bobby who gave him the tiniest of nods.

"Well, we have some conditions, then" Sam informed the demon.

Lou frowned, suddenly suspicious. "What are they?"

"Mike and Lou are to be released from their deals, whole and free, no strings attached. And you're to make sure my brother is healed. Also no strings attached"

Lou snorted. "Is that all? That can be done, no problem! You have a deal"

"No deal" Bobby growled. "We have an _agreement._ We shake on it, understand?"

Lou shrugged. He extended his hand and shook all three men's hands, then stood back. "All righty, then, can we go now? We need to make sure we catch Carin at the right time, or all will be in vain"

He clapped his hands together and the all vanished, to re appear, seated, in the movie theatre. Bobby was in his wheelchair in the aisle, Sam and Mike beside him and Denise was seated in front. She turned to them and winked, then turned back to the stage.

Sam looked up at the stage, and saw a crumpled shape on the small area in front of the large white movie screen

"Bobby, what's that on the stage?" Mike asked the wheelchair bound hunter.

Sam leapt up and rang up to the figure. "Dean? Dean is that you?" he stopped, reeling backwards, as he hit an invisible barrier preventing him from moving any closer.

"Not so fast, my boy, not so fast" bellowed Lou, appearing by the prone form. "I have your brother here, as my special guest." He clicked his fingers and a theatre seat appeared on stage, and Lou roughly shoved Dean into it, the oxygen tank slipping and clanking loudly on the floor. Dean's head lolled back, his eyes closed, he seemed unconscious.

"Why is he here?" Sam demanded through gritted teeth.

"Oh, I thought I might need a little extra insurance, boy. Can't hurt to cover all your bases, now, can it? I wanted to make sure I had your full cooperation; that you would not hesitate, even a little. I think I should achieve that with this raggedy man here, won't I?"

Sam turned to look at Bobby, and saw the same anger he felt reflected there. He turned back to Lou. "If you hurt him in any way, I will end you. You will not even see it coming"

Dean must've heard his brother, his head flopped forward and the one eye cracked open. "Sammy?" he rasped.

"Sit back man, enjoy the show. As long as everyone plays their part, all will end well, here. I have given my word, have I not?"

Sam looked over at his brother. "At least fix his oxygen mask. He needs to breathe comfortably"

Lou rolled his eyes and roughly snapped the oxygen back on Dean, shoving the tank heavily onto the injured man's lap. Dean slowly rolled his head over to look at his brother, a shadow of a smile on his bruised face. His hand turned and gave him a thumb's up, before it fell back onto his lap.

Sam reluctantly sat down on the edge of his seat, poised to spring at any moment. He scowled at Lou, his breath fast and anxious.

"Calm down, boy, just be ready" Bobby hissed at him.

Sam took a deep breath, but stayed on the edge of the seat.

"Well, I believe we are all ready, are we not?" Lou grinned at his audience.

"Depends" Bobby answered. "Just what do you expect us to do?"

Lou turned to face him. "Why, kill the bitch, of course! Once midnight comes around, she is bound to her human host, and pervious to your weapons. You will be able to end her existence, once and for all!"

"Why caint you?"

Lou lifted his hands. "I am not allowed. These are our rules, set in time, and I cannot break them. But you, you are not bound by such insignificant limitations. Am I right, gentlemen?"

Sam shrugged. "We kill demons whenever we can"

"Damn right" a whispered affirmation from Dean. Sam offered him up a strained smile.

"Well, I understand what the hunters are here for, but what do you need the girl for? And me, what's my role in all this?" Mike asked.

Lou clicked his fingers and another chair appeared, and he sat with a flourish. "The girl, the summoner, well, she holds great power. She doesn't realise it, of course, but she does. She is the only one that can break her deal with Carin, sending her away. If she does this, then, well, all is lost. Our chance to kill this monster is gone. She, of course, can also rescind her deal with me, and once again, our chance to kill Carin is lost. So I am keeping her close, to make sure she does not do either!"

He pointed to Mike, and Sam noticed the fingers had grown long, talon like, the nails black. "You, dear boy, have another use. I need a flunky, and he, in turn, needs a suit!" He clapped his hands and black smoke funneled in from the overhead vents and shot towards Mike, too quick for anyone to react, and forced itself into his mouth.

He jerked a little, then sat up straight, his eyes black. "You know what to do" Lou told him, and Mike disappeared.

"You god damned piece of shit" Bobby yelled.

"God damned? Yes, I believe you have summed me up. I was damned many years ago. As you can probably start to see" he spread his hands wide, both had become reptile like talons, long black claws glinting in the stage lights.

"It won't be long until I change into my true form. You might find it disturbing, however if we can take care of the little matter of my arch enemy, you won't have to observe this at all, I will be out of here and out of your lives"

The lights flickered, and once again the hunters observed the ozone crackling of the air.

The lights flickered, some blew out, and Carin appeared, restrained by the demon who was wearing Mike.

"Welcome, my dear girl welcome! So nice of you to join us!" he bellowed, and Carin struggled out of Mike's grasp.

"This is outrageous! You can't do this to me!" She screamed, launching herself at Lou. He merely sidestepped her as Mike lunged after her, slamming her onto the stage.

Carin turned around, still sitting, and faced her mortal enemy. "Always with the theatrics. A theatre? Really? And an audience! You've done yourself proud!"

Lou laughed. "It is in my nature, is it not? Do you remember, my love, when we were mere mortals, how we would perform together? How our audience loved us, and threw money at our feet?" Carin rolled her eyes. "There were none better than you, my petal. Yet your lust for the dramatic has faded over the centuries, where mine has never left. Where did we grow apart? When did it all turn so bad?"

Carin picked at her teeth with one of her elongated claws, irritation clear in her tight features. "That was a millennia ago. You need to get over it" she spat back.

"Well, tonight I will be over it. Time's a ticking, my dear, time's a ticking! Any last words?"

She spun on her rear to face him. "What do you mean? What have you got planned here?"

She tipped her head and took in the hunters, girl, Mike and Dean. She rubbed her palms on her thighs in desperation, then looked up at the ceiling, where a very elaborate devils trap had been inscribed. Carin was sitting in the middle of it.

"Great. That's just great. So this time, it's for real, is it? This time, you're gonna wipe me out, once and for all?"

Lou grinned, his teeth now pointed, his lips had turned black. "That's the plan, my dear" he replied, his voice dripping malice. "This night will be the last for you."

Bobby leant forward and placed a hand on Sam's shoulder, and Sam nodded without turning. He leaned forward, and Bobby pulled a package out of the young man's waistband, quietly, trying desperately not to draw attention to themselves.

Mike turned, as if on cue, and stared at Bobby. His face split into a grin and he winked. Sam nearly fell off his chair. "What the hell is going on?" he whispered.

"Hell if I know. Mike was in on our plan, so I'm guessing his demon knows what's going on here, too. That wink makes me think he may be on our side."

"Seriously, Bobby? A demon working with us? You know that never goes down well"

Bobby turned to give him a grimace. "Don't have a lotta choice here, today. Mike knows pretty much what we know. He hasn't said anything up til now, so maybe, for once, we got luck on or side"

"I'll believe it when I see it" Sam whispered back, and tapped Denise on the shoulder. She nodded without turning, and Sam was surprised she was holding it together so well.

Carin was looking down, and Sam realised she was chanting, low and soft, and as she did this there seemed to be a low rumble building, and the air started to crack with static.

She lifted her gaze, her face was looking more feline, her eyes had changed and were almond shaped, her mouth black, her chin more pointed. The words she was using were foreign to the hunters, and as they grew in volume the rumbling grew in intensity.

Lou sighed and snapped his fingers, and everything became still. "Not good enough, my pretty, not anywhere new good enough." He walked around Carin, making sure to keep clear of the devils trap. "Can you feel the time ticking down? Can you feel your life draining away? As soon as we hit midnight, my little hunter friends are going to take you out, and finally I will be the victor!"

Mike moved forward a little and stood in front of Dean. He tilted his head towards Lou, and Sam nodded. Bobby took in a sharp breath. "He's really helping us, isn't he?"

Sam nodded and touched Denise's shoulder. "Showtime" he whispered, and the girl smoothed down her skit and stood up. Lou didn't notice her, so she cleared her throat.

The demon turned and looked her, slight irritation on his features at being interrupted by the girl. "Sit down, child, sit down. Grown ups are talking"

Denise turned briefly to Bobby who gave her a nod of encouragement. "No, I don't' think so" she quietly replied. "In fact, I think maybe it's my turn to talk."

She pulled a folded piece of paper from her blouse pocket, and Lou crinkled his brow with confusion. "What do you have there?"

She unfolded the paper, a crumpled movie flyer, and started to read. "I, the summoner, have decided, with all of my rights and privileges, to withdraw my summons…"

"NO!" roared Lou. "No, you cannot do that! Not when we are so close, not now!"

Mike took this moment to rush forward and shove Lou, who was unprepared for the move and he stumbled, falling onto his knees, at the feet of Carin.

Inside the devil's trap.

Carin threw her head back and laughed. "Oh, my, what have we here? A little bit of a betrayal, hmmm?"

"Lou turned to the hunters. "We had a deal! A deal!"

Bobby wheeled his chair closer. "We had an _agreement_, and we still do. We just need a little insurance, as well." He turned to Dean. "How you doing, boy?"

Dean opened his swollen eye, his lips dried and cracked, but still they smiled. "Peachy" he whispered back.

Bobby turned to Mike. "Would it be too much to ask for you to take him back to the hospital?"

Mike snarled at him. "I'm your errand boy, hunter. I have a bone to pick with these two, using me through out the centuries, that's the only reason I'm helping here. Anything else, deals the same as always. You, hunter: me, demon. Once this goes down, all bets are off"

Bobby shrugged. "Fair enough. All right then, Lou, you just keep cool, and we'll take care of the rest. Everything in order, Sam?"

Sam had taken the package from Bobby and was preparing everything he had packed earlier. He had it all out on the seat, vials, herbs and powders. "Yep. Your turn now"

Bobby wheeled over as Lou looked at them.

"What are you doing?" the demon demanded. "You don't need spells. After midnight, you just need your gun or thingy knife, she'll be the same as any other demon. Why are you mixing potions?"

"Well, Lou, we have here the ritual of silence. Just a little guarantee against failure" Bobby explained, turning his back to the stage. He pulled out the ritual instructions from his top pocket and began to quietly chant in Latin.

"This has to stop!" Carin squealed. "This ritual works against you, too, you need to stop them!"

Lou shrugged. "Like the man said, we have an agreement. I didn't kill anybody. I didn't threaten to kill the hunters. They have no reason to banish me. You are the one that will end tonight, and I am the one that will triumph. Of this, I have no doubt!"

Mike picked up Dean from his chair, eliciting a painful groan from the hunter. Sam stood, concerned, as Mike carried his brother off the stage and placed him gently on a seat a few rows back from the stage. Sam rushed over and grabbed his brother.

"Dean!" he gasped "Are you okay?" He adjusted the oxygen mask, sitting the canister beside the seat. "Are you hurting? Can you breathe okay?"

Dean feebly pushed his hands away. "Fine. Just do the job" he whispered back. "Kick it in the ass"

Sam gently touched his brother's cheek and stood. "Bobby?"

"Yup. All done"

The older hunter turned his wheelchair back to face the stage, and San and Mike stepped up beside him. "Dean says to kick it in the ass"

"Well then" Bobby snarled. "That's just what we'll do"

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><p><strong>AN...hopefully update soon...**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N...feeling a little better, and I'd rather do this than watch day time tv...**

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><p>She turned, and once again he was taken aback by her grace. The curve of her spine, the fall of her hair, the soft mound of her bosom. She smiled as she turned again, spinning with joy on the soft grass, the petals from the cherry blossoms decorating her hair like pale pink snowflakes.<p>

God, she took his breath away. Never was there a creature so beautiful.

The woman beside him leaned forward, her mouth to his ear. "You find her desirable, don't you?'

"Yes" he answered, his voice grown husky with longing.

"More so than this woman I inhabit?" she asked.

He turned to her, looking her up and down, appraising the plump ripeness of the dark skinned woman beside him.

"Much more so" he replied.

"Then tonight, while she sleeps, I shall shed this skin, and take her, just for you, my love. Just for you"

He smiled and pulled the dark skinned woman close. "I do love you so much. The things you do for me…" he shook his head and laughed, then kissed her eyelids. "And this skin that I wear? Do you still approve?"

"More so than ever, my dear, more so than ever"

True to her word, after night fell, after all had gone to sleep, the dark haired woman threw back her head and escaped her flesh surrounds, and sought out the beautiful young virgin.

By morning she was virgin no more, as she lay sleeping in the arms of her demon lover.

He opened his eyes, lazily, slowly, still spent from a glorious night. Something had awoken him…but what?

A chanting, loud, came through the folds of his tent, and as he looked up he felt his stomach turn to ice.

A painted trap, carefully decorating the roof of his tent, it had not been there last night when he led his virgin lover to bed.

The girl opened her eyes and screamed. She was possessed no longer.

The tent flap opened, and there stood the dark skinned woman, a smirk on her face that she quickly covered. "He is in here and he has taken your daughter, as he has taken all of your daughters before now!"

The chanting increased and he recognized the ritual of silence. If they finished it he would be silenced from using his power, and bound to this man of flesh until they banished him to purgatory.

The girl struggled within his grasp, pulling back from him. He had to think, quickly…

Why had his companion betrayed him? Why had she given the villagers the ritual? Why?

The girl pulled back and he found a way to escape. He stood and gathered the beautiful young thing in his arms, then threw her as hard as he could into the side of the tent, the force ripping the animal hides and tearing the tent from its tethers.

The whole structure collapsed around and beside him, the trap torn asunder with the roof, and he was free.

Shrugging the ruin of his shelter aside he stood, tall and strong, the young warrior he wore was a magnificent specimen of manhood. He turned to the shocked villagers, their chanting paused with their surprise, and pointed to his companion.

"Why did you betray me? For decades we have travelled this planet, together, why have you decided to destroy all that we have?"

The dark skinned woman smiled at him, her eyes turning black. "I have found a way to elevate myself, become royalty in the hierarchy of hell, if I shed my ties to you and become a wish giver. Once I have enough souls and have fulfilled my duties, I take my place as a ruler of one of the realms of Hades"

She started to circle around him. "I'm tired of this play you have immersed yourself in; jumping from one body to another, just to satiate your desires, never leading anywhere, never achieving anything, just one step ahead of those that hunt us. I take no more. I play no more. I made a pact with one of our kind, and now I shall take on my new role, without you"

He shook his head. "You should know by now what happens to those who betray me" his voice was malevolent. "This is a dangerous game you have started"

"No more games. I am forever over games. You cannot do anything, for my pact is made. Unless you make a similar pact, our lives shall never cross again. Farewell, my lover, for I now take my leave of you"

"Just tell me, before you go, how did you find the one like us to make this pact with? Did they approach you, or did you find them?"

She shrugged. "I was standing at a road that crosses, and was wailing about my boredom with this life, when he appeared to me." She tipped her head. "You may have tricked me into telling you this much, but I shall be gone before I tell you more, I shall never tell you where to find him!"

"How long ago was this, that you decided to betray me? How long have you been at my side, having struck a deal with another, waiting for your time to stab my back?"

"Seven whole days I have bided my time, seven whole days!" She laughed with the wickedness of it all. "I always was the better actor of the two of us"

"But not the smarter of the two of us" he growled back and threw his axe at her. She had not seen it as he held it behind him when the tent came down, and was too busy gloating to notice until it was too late.

Until it severed her head from her shoulders, her flesh body falling as she billowed away in a cloud of black smoke.

The villagers turned to him, and the chanting started again, at first one, then another, until they all were performing the ritual of silence.

"Bah! The ritual only binds me, and none of you here understand how to kill one such as I. Your little helper has left before she could instruct you in this. But no mind" he smoothed his hair with his hands, and reached for a robe to cover his nakedness. "I shall not bother this village again"

He disappeared, his heart intent on making sure his companion would never succeed in elevating her status, or again betraying him.

X

X

X

X

Dean tried to shift in the hard seat but his body wouldn't move more than an inch either way. He was jonesing bad for his I.V, the drugs that controlled his pain and helped him breathe sorely lacking from his blood stream. He coughed weakly and tried to shift again.

The spots in front of his eyes warned him that his fragile grasp on consciousness was about to fail, so he tried to sit still. But this position… dammit, he couldn't breathe. Even with the oxygen mask firmly in place his breaths were shallow and rapid, and he knew he couldn't stay like this for much longer.

It wasn't often in his life that he desired to be in hospital, in fact, he couldn't remember any.

But now, struggling to breathe and the lights flashing in front of his eyes, he could think of no better place to be. He rolled his head over a bit so he could watch his brother.

Sam would fix this.

Sam would gank those freaking demons and then take him back to the hospital.

He couldn't hear what was happening anymore, the sounds of his heart beating too fast was drowning out almost everything else, his blood rushing in his ears accompanied by the whistle and rasp of his breathing.

Hurry up, Sammy.

Please.

I don't think I can hang on much longer….

X

Sam and Bobby both faced the stage, with Mike standing back a little, flanking the tall hunter.

Denise was sitting back in her seat, her knees drawn up to her chin and her arms wrapped around her legs. All of her bravado seemed to have left her, eyes wide and lips quivering, she looked like a frightened rabbit.

"Why don't you pop down the back, girly, while we take care of things here" Bobby spoke quietly but still Denise jumped, she turned her pale face to him before leaping off the seat and running to the back of the theatre.

Lou seemed confused and upset, while Carin just stood there, eyes hooded, her soft features all but gone in her impending change.

"I don't understand, the ritual of silence has affected us both. You have bound us, although you didn't need to bind _her_, as she would be bound to her human form, and bound me! We have an agreement!"

Bobby gave a scornful laugh. "The ritual doesn't bind you to your body, we already know that. It just silences your ability to use your powers. Something that's gonna be helpful either way, I'm thinking"

Lou scowled and turned to Carin. "You are very quiet. What are you planning?"

She turned to face him, her head lowered, peering at him through thick lashes.

"You used to love me"

Lou seemed surprised, at first he reeled back a little, then he shook his head, as if to clear it.

"Do you think you can love me again?"

"Love you?" he slapped his thigh, then threw his head back and let out the loudest bellow of a laugh. "Love you? My dear, I positively loathe you!"

"There is not much in this world I feel more disgust and hatred towards than you, girly"

A single gunshot rang out, its echo reverberating throughout the theatre as the bullet from that same gun ripped a hole into Carin's chest.

She bucked and shook as the flames ripped her insides, smoke and sparks from her eyes and mouth, before she fell dead in a heap at Lou's feet.

Lou turned to the hunters. "It is midnight?"

"Right on the knocker, as you can probably tell" Bobby answered him.

Lou turned back to the smoking dead girl at his feet. "We were lovers" he spoke so quietly that the hunters leaned forward to catch what he was saying. "For a millennia, we were enemies. And now, it's over, my dear, it's finally over."

Sam moved closer to the stage. "Lou? Um, if you're finished there, we had a deal, remember?"

Lou nudged the corpse at his feet, his head still low. "An agreement" he responded, still in the very quiet voice.

"What?"

"An agreement" Lou spoke louder as he turned to the hunters. "We had an agreement"

"We've kept up our side, now it's time for you to ante up here" Bobby told the demon.

"You'll have to bring the raggedy man closer for me to help him. I am bound, remember"

"Yeah, about that. How can you help him if we've silenced your ability to use your powers?" Sam asked him.

Lou sat so abruptly it gave the hunters a fright, even Mike reacted a little. "You have silenced my, shall we say, my _extra special _powers. I can still do normal demon stuff. I was a powerful demon, even before my upgrade to this form. Bring him here"

Sam turned as Mike walked up to Dean. "No, it's okay, I've got him" Mike shrugged and turned to Bobby.

"You ready for this?" Mike hoarsely whispered to the older hunter.

Bobby nodded without speaking.

Sam lifted his brother as gently as he could and walked up to Lou. The demon looked down from the stage at the Winchesters, the tall man carrying his broken brother, his face lined with concern. "You can heal him, can't you?"

Lou pursed his lips. "Not completely. But I can take him from the brink of death, where he hovers so closely right now. The rest he can do just fine on his own"

Sam nodded and Lou held out his hand, stopping only at the edge of the devil's trap's boundary. He closed his eyes and murmured very softly, then stood back up and brushed his pants off.

Dean moved a little in his brother's arms, still barely conscious, but his breathing had evened out, the panting was gone, and his color looked a little better.

"I'm just gonna sit you back down, bro, you're kinda heavy" Sam softly placed him on the front row seat, and Dean's head fell to one side.

"He's breathing better, so that's gotta be a good thing" Bobby reassured him.

"Move him back, away from the front of the theatre" Mike told Sam, his back turned to Lou, his voice low. "Move him now"

Sam didn't question the command, he just gathered up his brother and almost ran him to the back of the theatre. He laid him down on the sticky carpet near the exit door, but still tucked under the cover of the last row of seats. Denise scurried over to them. "I'll look after him" she whispered, and adjusted the oxygen mask so it wasn't pulling on his ears.

Sam placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, aware the task of looking after his brother would help her keep her panic at bay. "Thank you" he whispered back, and pulled his jacket off to tuck over his brother's chest.

Running back to the others he drew his gun from his waistband. He held it low, non threatening, but Lou raised his brows.

"What's the gun for, boyo? We have no need for that! And if you use it, you'll damage your little police man friend, am I right? Don't you agree?"

Sam tipped his eyebrows and shrugged. "Can't hurt to cover all my bases"

"Well, how about cracking this little seal above me, hmm? Just a crack, it's all I need"

Bobby turned to Mike, then nodded. Mike leapt up onto the stage in one bound and grabbed Lou from behind, pinning his hands to his sides and lifting a couple of inches off his feet.

Bobby pulled another crumpled paper from his pocket and started to read.

"NO!" screamed Lou. "This is not right, do not do this! We had an agreement! You gave me your word!"

"That they did, Lou old boy, that they did" Mike chuckled in his ear "And they kept their word. I'm making sure you don't hurt the cop while they do the ritual."

"But why? Why are you helping them? They're hunters!"

Mike rubbed his face against Lou's in a parody of a lover's embrace. "You may have been an enemy of your former lover for a millennia, but don't forget, pal, that you have treated me like a slave for almost that whole time. Come and go as I'm told, never given any reward, and I'm sure if push came to shove you'd sacrifice me as easily as you have my companions over the years. So you see, Lou" Mike held him higher "I'm happy to help these hunters. Ecstatic. Because it means that I finally am rid of the two of you"

Lou went limp in Mike's arms. "This is it? This is all that I have become? A simple banishment, performed by a broken man?" He turned his black eyes to Sam. "I shall take back the healing I gave to your brother!"

Mike chuckled again. "You can't. That's why I had them move him so far away. You got nothing to bargain with, any more, and no one who wants to listen to you anyway"

Bobby threw a handful of herbs into the air that Sam had passed to him, and pronounced the last words of the ritual. Lou threw his head back and black smoke billowed out, but as it left the policeman's body the smoke turned to flame, then ash, and the soft flakes fell onto the body of Carin.

"Are you done with me? If you are, I'll be outta here" Mike said, dropping Lou onto the floor. The police chief groaned, alive, but not quite conscious.

"Just don't ask me to say thanks. I mean, we do appreciate what you did, and all, but I'm guessing the next time we meet it will be on different terms" Bobby told him.

Mike grinned, his eyes turning black. "That may just be the case. You going to let me out of this trap?"

Sam looked at the older hunter, and Bobby nodded back to him. "Let him out."

Sam grabbed a knife from the back of the wheelchair and aimed at the trap. "Hang on a minute, son" Bobby called out. "What guarantee do we have that you'll let Mike go once we release you?"

Mike shrugged and threw his head back, releasing a stream of smoke that hovered around him. The now empty Mike looked at the hunters with wide, fear filled eyes before doubling over and throwing up at his feet.

Sam checked with Bobby then threw the knife with well practiced skill, it sliced through the boundary of the devil's trap before falling to the stage.

The smoke swirled around Mike for a moment then rushed upwards and through a ceiling vent.

"Well, whadda yah know, a demon that keeps his word" Bobby spun his chair to Sam. "Go help Mike off the stage, Sam, and I'll check on your brother"

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><p><strong>AN...me thinks just one more chapter to go, maybe...**

**Perhaps a review? You can be anonymous, if you like...**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N...and here is the end. As I said before, this story is dedicated to BranchSuper. I wish it could have been better, but I have had the suckiest time these last few weeks, making writing _very_ hard...**

**Anyway, please read, and I hope you enjoy...**

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><p>Sam stood at the edge of the stage, looking up at the D.A. The lawyer seemed fairly worse for wear, his face was white, his shoes covered in vomit. He was looking at the fallen police sergeant, but seemed to be in shock. Sam hefted himself onto the stage and clapped him on the back to raise him from his stupor.<p>

Mike looked up at the young hunter's face. "I feel….."

"I know" Sam replied. "Been there, possessed by that. Not a good feeling"

Mike waivered and Sam grabbed his elbow.

"Ah, maybe you should sit"

He helped the D.A. to the edge of the stage and sat him down, then turned to Lou, who was starting to groan. He was regaining consciousness, so Sam dragged him over to Mike, and away from Carin's body.

Mike helped Lou sit up. "What do you remember?" he asked him softly. Lou's eyes were wide, his face white and a greasy sweat had broken out on his forehead.

"Everything. I remember it all"

"Aw man, that sucks" Mike placed a comforting arm around Lou's shoulders. "Are you all right? Are you going to throw up?"

Lou shook his head and rubbed his brow.

Mike turned to Sam as he jumped down from the stage. "What do we do now?" he weakly groaned.

Sam gave him a grimace. "Well, you can sit there until you're sure you're not gonna hurl again while I go and check on my brother."

"And then?" He turned his head and looked at Lou, then back at Sam. "What are we supposed to do about all this? What happens now?"

Sam shook his head. "You're asking me? Well, here's the thing, guys. You and your cop buddies nearly killed my brother, you caused the death of more girls while you had me and Bobby tied up trying to help Dean and _not_ hunting the demons." He ran an exasperated hand through his hair, then took a large breath.

"And now, to me, it sounds like you want us to clean up this mess into a nice tidy package, so you both can go home and sleep at night."

He folded his arms and looked down. When he looked back up, his eyes were bright with tears. "You see, Mike, Lou, we don't get to sleep at night. Nothing's ever a nice tidy package for people like me and Dean. Bobby's in a wheelchair because of a demon. My brother went to hell because of a demon. We've lost all of our family, most of our friends, all because of demons and this job."

He swiped angrily at his eyes. "Look, I get it, I do, I know this is all a bit much for you to take in, and you're scared and worried and sure your life has changed forever, but you know what? I don't care"

Mike looked shocked. "What? I don't get it, you come here and.."

"No, dude, _no_. We _did not_ come here and change things. We came here to stop girls getting killed, and get rid of whatever was doing that. The demons changed things. _They_ ruined your life, not us, man, not us. Maybe if you hadda been a little more professional and a little less brutal…"

Bobby had wheeled up unnoticed as Sam and the men were talking. "This could have all gone a completely different way if you'd just have listened to Dean when he tried to tell you he was innocent. Maybe next time you'll think twice before bashing someone's brains in"

Lou dropped his eyes and Mike turned red.

"Don't lay all of this on us. You two were impersonating federal agents!"

Sam shook his head. "After all we've told you, after all you've been through, you're trying to justify what you did? Lay blame on us? Dude, that's low"

He turned to Bobby. "How's Dean?"

"He's resting fine. Let's just get outta dodge and put this whole thing behind us"

"Fine by me" and he stormed off to the back of the theatre. Mike looked at Lou.

The cop shrugged and looked down at the chair bound hunter. "Where are we? Where is this place?"

Bobby took off his cap and scratched his head, then tucked the cap firmly back in place. "You mean the theatre, as in what town are we in?"

Lou nodded.

"Well, we aint in Kansas anymore, Toto" He turned the chair, then looked back over his shoulder at the two confused men. "You guys can clear up here, right? I think we've done enough for you, don't you agree?"

Lou gave him a ghost of a smile. "Thanks, yes, we can fix this. I don't know how, but we'll think of something." He turned to his best friend. "Won't we, Mike?"

Mike ducked his head. "Yeah. Yeah, we will. I'm sorry, I really am. I was, just, you know, pissed, and confused, and I guess a bit overwhelmed, but you guys, you really saved our lives, and the lives of those girls, and Denise…" he looked towards the back of the theatre. "Where is she? We should probably keep her with us, get all our stories straight. We can get her home, too"

"Good thinking. And I don't think we really need to have her hanging around us" Bobby wheeled off towards the back of the theatre.

Sam was hunched over his brother and looked up as Bobby stopped beside him. "He's sleeping, still. We're about nine hours from Dean's car, so I'm thinking I'm gonna have to jack us one to get back. What're the law guys gonna do?"

Bobby shrugged. "Don't know, and don't care. They are taking her with them, though" he pointed at Denise.

The girl shook her head frantically. "No, I wanna stay with you guys!"

Bobby frowned, and Sam touched her hand, his face a forced smile. "I think you'd be better off with uncle Lou and Mike, they're both okay now, the things that were making them do the weird stuff are dead. Besides" he turned up the puppy dog eyes "You shouldn't really get into a car with three strange men"

She smiled back at him, appreciating his little twist on her earlier comment. "All right then, but how do I thank you guys? I mean, you guys did everything to save us, your brother nearly died, I feel like I should be doing something, anything, to say thanks!"

Sam huffed a little laugh. "You just did, and that's all we need. That, and go along with whatever story your uncle comes up with. Deal?"

She threw herself at him, her arms wrapped around his neck, and he fell back with the force of her enthusiasm. Bobby laughed until she unwrapped from Sam and threw herself at the older man. "You smell like my grandpa" she whispered to him, and he peeled her off him with a frown.

"Um, thanks?" he murmured, and she waggled her eyebrows at them.

"Well, thanks again, you guys. And tell your brother that I said thank you. And give him a big kiss for me"

Sam chuckled. "Yeah, Sure. I'll kiss him for you" Denise skipped off to the men on the stage. "When pigs fly" Sam added and Bobby laughed at him.

"Well, boy, get off yer ass and get us a ride, I wanna be outta this joint before the law guys decide to make this a party"

Sam jumped up. "I'll be quick" and he was off through the vestibule to the outer door, which opened quite easily this time, after a helpful hunter kick.

Dean groaned and forced his eye open. "Where the fuck am I?" he complained, trying to sit up.

Bobby wheeled a little closer and offered him a hand, helping shuffle to some semblance of a sitting position. "Best we wait on that till Sam gets us a ride. Can you stand?"

Dean looked down at his legs, then back at Bobby. "Why wouldn't I be able to stand?" He tried to pull himself up, but slumped back down. "Bobby? You better tell me what went down here, and what the hell's wrong with me, right now!"

Sam chose that moment to slam the door open in the little vestibule, making them all jump.

He rushed over to his brother, and fell to his knees. Grabbing him up, he stood the shorter man, but didn't let him go, he hugged him tight in a relieved embrace.

Dean pushed back from him but waivered and nearly tumbled over, so Sam reached for him again, this time only holding him enough to steadying the swaying.

"Dude, what is going on?" Dean looked more than worried, and Sam gave him a reassuring smile.

"Let's get to the car, I'll explain it all once we're on our way"

"To where? Where are we going, and what the hell happened here?"

Bobby pushed passed him. "Aw, stop yer whining and get to the car. You heard your brother, he'll explain on the way"

X

X

X

X

Dean sipped his hot coffee carefully and frowned at his surrounds. "Smells like cat pee" he grumbled.

"Dude, you said that already, like five times" Sam replied, steering the tiny Japanese car along the highway. "This was the closest car and the easiest to jump. We'll be back with your baby soon enough" he looked at the review mirror, still pleased that Dean was able to sit up and bitch after hovering so close to death just hours before.

Bobby turned and handed a brown paper bag. "You want another donut?" he called to the back seat.

"No" Dean answered, taking the bag and fishing out one anyway. "So, seriously, a demon worked healing mojo on me? No strings attached?"

"Yeah, weird as that is, he kept up his side of the bargain" Bobby answered.

Dean shook his head and immediately regretted the movement as his brain pounded its discomfort behind his eyelids. "Are you sure there's no side effects, like someone losing their soul in a year or ten?"

Sam handed his empty cup to Bobby. "We didn't make a deal, like I told you, it was 'an agreement'. Totally different"

"And you ganked the demon anyway, even though he kept up his side of the 'agreement'?"

Sam made eye contact with Dean in the rear view. "Yeah. Why?"

Dean gave his a raised brow and a crooked smile. "Cold. And the right thing to do. Like I said before, you so bad ass" he sipped from his coffee cup and looked thoughtful. "Seriously, dude, you did a great job, going all hard assed lawyer, and sorting out those demons. I'm grateful. Really"

Sam smiled back at him, pleased that his brother had showered some rare praise his way.

"Okay girls, if you've had enough kissing up to each other, there's something I wanna bring up"

Sam cleared his throat. "Yeah, sure, Bobby, what is it?"

Bobby flipped his empty cup, along with Sam's, onto the floor of the smelly car. "I think we gotta hit Denise's house after we get back into town, find that box a stuff she told us about. We need to relieve her of all of the spells and summoning rituals, so she don't get tempted to stir up any trouble in the future."

"Sounds like a plan" Sam answered. "How far out are we now?"

"Bout three hours. You still okay drivin'?"

Sam nodded and looked into the rear view. "Bobby, can you grab Dean's cup, please?"

The senior hunted turned as best as he could and reached behind him to grab the cup as it started to tip over. Dean shifted slightly, his head slumped against the door, softly snoring.

"Aw, he's so cute when he's asleep" Bobby quipped.

Sam sighed. "I'm just glad he's better. Well, better than he was before."

"We copped a break on this one. Not that it started out in a good place" Bobby drank the last of Dean's coffee. "Still, all in all, we're alive, the bad guys are gone, I'd say a job well done"

"Do you think he'll let me get him checked out by a doctor once we get back to your place?"

Bobby huffed. "Not a hope in hell, son"

X

X

X

X

Dean stumbled into the kitchen, still wiping sleep from his eyes. Sam handed him a cup filled with steaming coffee.

"How you feeling?" Bobby asked him.

"Just peachy."

"You sure?" Sam asked him.

"What's with all the mother hen crap?" Dean frowned back at them.

Sam pulled out a chair from the table. "Well, we got a job. You remember Donna? Our old baby sitter?"

Dean got a far away look on his face. "Yeah. I remember her" he smiled.

"Well, she needs our help. Bobby can always get someone else if you need more time.."

"No problem if you need to take a little more R & R" Bobby reassured him.

"It's been two weeks. I'm good. Stop fussing over me, you'll get your apron all twisted"

Sam smiled at Bobby. "I guess he's all right"

"Better than all right" Dean grinned at them both. "Damn legendary. Let's do this"

Sam smiled. "Maybe hit the shower first, dude. If I gotta drive for hours with you, I'd rather you smelled a bit better"

Dean snorted and made a face, but sat his cup down and headed off to the bathroom.

Sam leaned back against the counter and sighed at Bobby. "It's only been two weeks. You sure he's strong enough to do this?"

Bobby ran his hands down his face. "If you keep him on the bench much longer he'll climb the walls. He's fine. Old Lou-demon fixed him just right. You boys go. Help the lady. Hunt a normal job for a change"

Sam nodded. "Sure thing, Bobby" He tilted his head to one side as the sound of Dean's singing off key in the shower filtered back to them.

He grinned and Bobby started to laugh.

It was the last time he'd laugh that year…..

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><p><strong>AN...new story up soon, please pop me in your alerts if you wanna read that one. Review, always more than welcome!**

**And BranchSuper, I deeply appreciate that you always review, and that you were my very first ever reviewer, you have no idea how much this means to me. I will write you another story in the future, I promise, and I will hopefully have a better time in my surrounds that can give us a better story...so start thinking, girl, and I'll let you know when I'm ready!**

**See you on the other side...of the story!**


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